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Christine_Schaefer
Amazing
The subject of this novel was something I never would have believed, if I hadn't read that it really happened. The amazing strength of each of the main characters, Henry, Margaret and Nancy was to be congratulated. How awkward each of them must have felt. Somehow, they made it work by doing the right thing. The angry mob and judgmental attitudes of the general population appeared, unfortunately, realistic. An easy read and so very interesting.
Erica_L
A Great Book Club Pick
My first thought while reading this book was that it would make a GREAT book club pick. There are so many different points that would make for great discussion. What would you do in each of the characters shoes? I thought the characters were well developed, but I was left wanting more. I feel as if it could have been a little longer exploring in more detail the feelings of not only the two Mrs. Oades, but those of Henry. Overall a good read.
Jill_S
When Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction
This is a page-turning debut novel that is based on the true story of Henry Oades, a principled man whose first wife is abducted -- along with their children -- by the Maori. After years of grief, he eventually travels to Berkeley, California, where life gives him a second chance through his marriage to an attractive young widow. But then his first wife and children show up...and he is viewed as a bigamist by the narrow-minded Daughters of Decency.
The questions raised by this book focus on the moral dilemma of a decent man torn between two fascinating women and the evolving relationship among the three. At times the emotions of the women are not explored deeply enough, particularly the first Mrs. Oades who has every reason to feel emotionally betrayed. Still, this is an incredible story that will be certain to elicit thought-provoking discussions long after the last page is finished.
Merrilyn A. (Escondido, California)
The Wives of Henry Oades
Johanna Moran's first published novel presents an intriguing problem to Henry Oades and his two wives, Margaret and Nancy. The novel takes place at the end of the Victorian period when moral attitudes where either black or white. The book takes place in 1890 and ends in the first part of the 20th century. The book will appeal to those who enjoy, and are curious about, people's attitudes and mores in the changing American and English cultures. The book has an interesting moral dilemma which becomes a driving, egregious narrow journey with a multitude of detours and dead ends constructed from the architecture of the era of Victorian mores. How this dilemma affects the people, who happen to be bound up in the circumstances, and how they handle the consequences of these societal hurdles drives the course of The Wives of Henry Oades. I found the book cumbersome in some parts and the characters guileless. I found the legal situation intriguing and one of the most interesting parts of the story. I think that women will find the relationship between Margaret and Nancy unusual, to say the least. The Wives of Henry Oades is not a page turner but, because of its twists and turns it will keep the reader involved in the outcome.
Marie A. (Warner, NH)
Interesting But Not Riveting
I am a big fan of historical fiction; unfortunately this book did not hold my interest. I was anticipating a more interesting read because of the subject matter. One weakness I found was the underdeveloped, flat characters. Although the author conveyed the interrelationships of Margaret and Nancy, the children, and Henry, I often lacked empathy for the characters and their plight. Frequently, I found myself questioning some of their motives and reactions to certain situations. There were times when the characters hardly seemed real. In my opinion, another weakness was the brevity with which the author dealt with the actual bigamy court proceedings.
This historical fiction wasn't a page turner; all in all the novel was interesting but not riveting.
Elyse G. (Creswell, OR)
Mediocre Read
"Wives" is an interesting and different story, and all the more intriguing being based on real people.
Unfortunately, I found the writing to be just average - no memorable passages here- and the characters somewhat one dimensional. There is very little range of emotion shown, and motives aren't always clear. We don't really get to know the characters very well, beyond their devotion to one another.
There are some interesting dramas in the story, the abduction, the search, the trials for bigamy. But all were merely sketched out. I would have liked more about the family's life with the Maori, for instance. And the end was a let down - everything is resolved, but it ended abruptly as if in the middle of a paragraph.
This is a book I might suggest picking up at a used book sale or borrowing from your library, but certainly not one I would pay $5 or more for.
Doris_K
The Wives of Henry Oades
I was disappointed in this book. Although it was based on a true court case the characters didn't ring true. The basic idea was interesting but I didn't think the characters were developed enough to make a really good read. Too many things happened too quickly. Somehow I felt as a reader I did not really get into their basic feelings about their circumstances and the problems they had to face.
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