Sister Wife by Shelley Hrdlitschka

Sister wife is told from alternating points of view. Each allows for the individual characters to express themselves freely.

This novel gives an unbiased looked into the polygamists sector. Hdrdlitschka, does an amazing job of telling this story without passing judgment on this much controversial community.

This is more than just a story set in a polygamous community. It is about finding yourself and your own idea of happiness.

An enjoyable read and look into what it's like to be a young woman inside and outside the polygamy community.



Grade: B+

Synopsis (B&N)

This story of life in a polygamous cult is told from the points of view of three teenage girls. At the age of 15, girls are assigned to be wives of older men. Each man is expected to have at least three wives who consider themselves sisters. The wives are expected to have as many children as possible. Taviana was invited by a kindly member to enter the community from a life on the street. She was content until she was kicked out because the law was looking for her, and the Prophet feared adverse publicity. Celeste, who becomes 15, is influenced by Taviana and has a crush on a neighboring boy from the cult. Nanette, Celeste's younger sister, is looking forward to being assigned a husband, but one she already likes. The conflicts between absolute obedience to the Prophet versus thinking for oneself, accepting medical science or allowing women to die in childbirth, and arranged versus love marriages drive the story. Descriptions of personal resolution through concentration while building balanced stone sculptures and inuksuks, stone markers from the Inuit tradition, are interesting. The treatment of young women like chattel by older men is sickeningly vivid. Although the tragedies and conflicts keep the interest up, this is not a book for everyone.