Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Sister Wife



Title: Sister Wife

Author: Shelley Hrdlitschka

Date Finished: March 3, 2009

Personal Book Count: 19 out of 100

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Genre/ Subject: Young Adult Fiction

First Line: I am consumed with impure thoughts.

Summery: from back of book-

“In the isolated rural community of Unity, the people of The Movement live a simple life guided by a set of religious principles and laws that are unique to them. Polygamy is the norm, strict obedience is expected and it is customary for young girls to be assigned to much older husbands.

Celeste was born and raised in Unity, yet she struggles to fit in and to accept her ordained life. At fifteen she is repulsed at the thought of being assigned to an older man and becoming a sister wife. She wants something more for herself, yet feels powerless to change her destiny because rebelling would bring shame upon her family.

Torn from the headlines and inspired by current events, Sister Wife is a compelling portrait of a community where the laws of the outside world are ignored and where individuality is punished.”

Why did I pick this book? : I had read reviews on line, and noticed it on my last trip to the library.

Review: I’m not really sure how to rate this book. I’m still digesting it. It is so different from anything I have come across, I’m not completely sure what to think. It is a good ending. Everyone gets what they deserve. I was drawn in by very distinct characters, all facing the same decision (to stay or go). I kept reading to find out what they would do in the end. And which factors were going to play into their decisions. And I was very drawn in by all the little details of their “culture”, as I have never experienced anything like that, and had no knowledge of that way of life. I don’t know if this kind of reading is my norm, or if I will be doing a lot of it in my future, but I did enjoy this ‘taste’. =D

Agree? Disagree? Recommendations? Any insights, suggestions, or comments on the book or format, or blog at all are most welcome. If you have read this and/ or review it yourself, please let me know. Can you think of any books like this? Give me a recommendation! =D

3 comments:

Corinne said...

I've got this one my list to read - I'm excited!

Anonymous said...

This book sounds like something I'd be interested in.
The summary reminds me a little of The Patron Saint of Butterflies (minus the polygamy).

tinylittlelibrarian said...

I've got this on my to-read list. Years ago the author came to my library for an author visit, so I'm partial to her. There's a polygamous community in our province that's always in the headlines, plus all of last year's stuff in the States, so I'm not surprised this was something that caught her imagination.