Sunday, November 20, 2011

The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall


Along with much of the rest of America, I'm a bit obsessed with polygamy.  Both Big Love on HBO and Sister Wives on TLC hold my attention.  So when Mer A recommended this book I thought I'd like it.

The story is about a polygamist with four wives and dozens of children who goes through a mid-life crisis.  He meets a woman outside his marriage(s) and falls in love with her, causing great chagrin in a few spheres of his life. Meanwhile, each of his wives is facing her own personal crisis, as are several of his children.

I liked the way this book was very dryly humorous.  I don't think that always comes across well in novels, but the way the characters alternated who was telling the story, all from a third-person perspective, helped make it work.  Unfortunately, I didn't love the book overall.  I found the main character pathetic rather than sympathetic, and the other characters too minor to invest in. 

I could see this making a good movie.

1 comment:

Webster said...

The amount of interest in polygamy at 24 Upton is sending confusing signals to this practicing monogamist.