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.
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