The 19th Wife

I finished The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff this evening.  Such a fascinating and quick read!  The background into the church of the Latter Day Saints during Brigham Young's time, fictionalized though it may be, I found incredibly interesting.  Personally I knew very little of their church beginnings, and to imagine the trek out west is awe inspiring.  

The story flips from the modern day mystery of a plural wife who is accused of killing her husband to the story of Ann Eliza Young, Brigham's "19th" wife and her history, and eventual aid in bringing about the legal end to polygamy.  I found her story one I could not put down, and the modern tale was just as interesting.

However, I will say that the end to the modern day mystery was not surprising at the end, and wrapped up a little too quickly for my personal tastes.  But, the historical part of the novel has left me wanting to learn more.  Here's a fact for you:  Ann Eliza Young was famous, traveling and telling her story and even meeting President Grant and his wife.  However no one knows where she ended up.  There are no later records of her, she seems to have simply disappeared.  And that is one mystery I would love to read more about.  

I definitely recommend picking up this novel if you are at all interested in historical fiction.  Especially since Amazon has some used in very good condition copies for less than $4!