Helpful Score: 4
Ever since I first realized fundamentalist Mormon culture and polygamy existed I have often wondered how fair this way of life could possibly be to the wives and children. After reading Brady Udall's novel now I have to wonder what kind of life it was for the majority of the husbands as well!
At the center of "The Lonely Polygamist" is Golden Richards, with four wives and twenty-eight children, it would seem that Golden was well positioned within the community. Golden, once thought to be the One Mighty and Strong by his fundamentalist Mormon church, struggles with remembering where he is going to sleep on a particular night, constantly fleeing and hiding from the demands and power plays of his wives and a melee of kids in three different houses, fighting to revive his failing construction business, deeply wounded by grief and guilt over the accidental death of a daughter and the still-birth of a son.
Other significant characters are Trish, Goldens fourth and youngest wife who re-connected with her faith and became a plural wife so she get regain the feeling of family.
Rusty- eleven year old son of Golden's third sister-wife, is a stereotypical child longing for attention in a family where there isn't enough to go around, so he acts out in search of negative attention. His goal is to find a way to get his mother to take him and leave the polygamist family, longing for a more normal existence without fully understanding what that is. Rustys story is the one that will remain with me for a long time.
Suffice to say that the writing is wonderful, the story is original and colorful and page-turning, and absolutely unforgettable
At the center of "The Lonely Polygamist" is Golden Richards, with four wives and twenty-eight children, it would seem that Golden was well positioned within the community. Golden, once thought to be the One Mighty and Strong by his fundamentalist Mormon church, struggles with remembering where he is going to sleep on a particular night, constantly fleeing and hiding from the demands and power plays of his wives and a melee of kids in three different houses, fighting to revive his failing construction business, deeply wounded by grief and guilt over the accidental death of a daughter and the still-birth of a son.
Other significant characters are Trish, Goldens fourth and youngest wife who re-connected with her faith and became a plural wife so she get regain the feeling of family.
Rusty- eleven year old son of Golden's third sister-wife, is a stereotypical child longing for attention in a family where there isn't enough to go around, so he acts out in search of negative attention. His goal is to find a way to get his mother to take him and leave the polygamist family, longing for a more normal existence without fully understanding what that is. Rustys story is the one that will remain with me for a long time.
Suffice to say that the writing is wonderful, the story is original and colorful and page-turning, and absolutely unforgettable
Helpful Score: 3
You know how you feel when you close a book in which you were completely immersed? That is exactly how I feel having finished The Lonely Polygamist.
At its heart, this book is about the family versus the individual, the collective versus the independent. Golden Richards has a huge family--four wives, many children, but he is still not happy. He has no idea who he is. His church thinks he might be the next Strong and Mighty, his wives think he is a wimp, and his kids hardly know him. The decisions that Golden makes show his dissatisfaction with his way of life, even as he yearns to feel a connection to his family. His bad decisions lead him into some hot water with his community, his family, and his employer.
The book is told from three primary viewpoints: Golden, his son Rusty (a more likable ruffian you will never find), and his fourth wife, Trish (still somewhat of an outsider). While this may be cumbersome in other books, it was very well done here.
I grew to care about these characters, and it was refreshing to read a book written from a polygamist male's point of view (most of the books I have read are written by female polygamists). I cannot rave enough about this book.
Poignant, funny, sad, thought provoking, thrilling, and delightful. One of the best books I have read all year.
At its heart, this book is about the family versus the individual, the collective versus the independent. Golden Richards has a huge family--four wives, many children, but he is still not happy. He has no idea who he is. His church thinks he might be the next Strong and Mighty, his wives think he is a wimp, and his kids hardly know him. The decisions that Golden makes show his dissatisfaction with his way of life, even as he yearns to feel a connection to his family. His bad decisions lead him into some hot water with his community, his family, and his employer.
The book is told from three primary viewpoints: Golden, his son Rusty (a more likable ruffian you will never find), and his fourth wife, Trish (still somewhat of an outsider). While this may be cumbersome in other books, it was very well done here.
I grew to care about these characters, and it was refreshing to read a book written from a polygamist male's point of view (most of the books I have read are written by female polygamists). I cannot rave enough about this book.
Poignant, funny, sad, thought provoking, thrilling, and delightful. One of the best books I have read all year.
Helpful Score: 2
I have to say I'm somewhat conflicted about this book. I really came to care about the main characters: Golden, his father Royal, Golden's wives Beverly, Nola, Rose, and Trish, and his daughter Glory and her brother, Rusty, a heartbreaking scamp. The book is full of humor, heartache, hope, redemption, courage, and faith, and despite how absurd the story line became, it was all still totally believable.
My biggest gripe is how long it takes Udall to get the story moving. His tendency to meander and go off on various tangents, especially just when the action is getting started, eventually became MADDENING! And for all that the characters went through, I'd hoped for a slightly more hopeful/brighter ending. I think more scrupulous editing could've made for a more heightened and suspenseful read. And the way the story line concluded for two of the characters in particular really disappointed and frustrated me (I won't spoil it). However, this was still a really good book written by a very talented author who's insights into people and humanity is so spot-on that sometimes I felt like I was reading about actual people.
My biggest gripe is how long it takes Udall to get the story moving. His tendency to meander and go off on various tangents, especially just when the action is getting started, eventually became MADDENING! And for all that the characters went through, I'd hoped for a slightly more hopeful/brighter ending. I think more scrupulous editing could've made for a more heightened and suspenseful read. And the way the story line concluded for two of the characters in particular really disappointed and frustrated me (I won't spoil it). However, this was still a really good book written by a very talented author who's insights into people and humanity is so spot-on that sometimes I felt like I was reading about actual people.
Helpful Score: 1
I'm trying to decide if this book truly deserves 5 stars, or if I just loved it so much because it came as a breath of fresh air after three books in a row that I couldn't bother to finish. At any rate, The Lonely Polygamist deserves at least 4 stars, as an entertaining, well-plotted and written novel full of fascinating characters.
Golden Richards is the "lonely polygamist" of the title, husband to four women, father to more than 20 children. He's a man who mostly takes what life gives him, which is basically how he became a polygamist, but I don't want to give too much of the story away.
The novel is written in third person, but focuses on Golden, Wife #4 (Trish), and his 11-year-old misfit son (Rusty), along with some omniscient narration in which everyone is just referred to by number. The characters are interesting, but believably flawed. Udall reveals bits and pieces of the story through flashbacks, while still keeping the overall narrative easy to follow.
Alternately sad and funny, the novel explores the complications of marriage and family with religious fundamentalism, nuclear testing, a brothel, and much more.
Golden Richards is the "lonely polygamist" of the title, husband to four women, father to more than 20 children. He's a man who mostly takes what life gives him, which is basically how he became a polygamist, but I don't want to give too much of the story away.
The novel is written in third person, but focuses on Golden, Wife #4 (Trish), and his 11-year-old misfit son (Rusty), along with some omniscient narration in which everyone is just referred to by number. The characters are interesting, but believably flawed. Udall reveals bits and pieces of the story through flashbacks, while still keeping the overall narrative easy to follow.
Alternately sad and funny, the novel explores the complications of marriage and family with religious fundamentalism, nuclear testing, a brothel, and much more.
Helpful Score: 1
I really didn't care for this book at all. It took me a LONG time to read as it never fully held my interest. I love reading about polygamy, but this book really is about Golden and his mid life crisis. Pages drag on not really adding to the story or the characters. In fact, at the end you only really know about one character. The author passively mentions other topics that would of helped make the story more interesting, but Limits them to a few sentences at most.
