Reviewed by LadyJay for TeensReadToo.com

In the isolated community of Unity, Celeste and her family live simple, yet structured lives. They are members of the Movement, a religious sect created by a man called the Prophet.

In this community, polygamy is widely accepted, strict obedience is expected of all women and children, and young girls are married off to men who are much older than they are.

Celeste wishes to be pure of heart, but cannot help asking questions about the world outside of Unity. She also wonders what it would be like to marry for love instead of obligation. Celeste knows that to be a good daughter, she must welcome the Prophet's decisions with open arms, but her growing curiosity won't allow that to happen.

Celeste does not wish to bring shame upon her family, but her actions will hurt them more than she intends.

I enjoyed this novel because the subject matter is timely, almost as if it were ripped from the headlines of a national newspaper. I also felt that having three different points of view was an excellent idea. Nanette, Celeste's sister, and Taviana, a new disciple of the Movement, discuss their feelings and beliefs within the community while Celeste carries the narrative. These three women have very different experiences within Unity, and yet, they are undoubtedly connected.

SISTER WIFE is an interesting look at a polygamous community and how it affects the children within those religious sects. ( )

What I loved:
I loved the character Craig, the outsider who through his building of inukshuks*, shows the Celeste another perspective on life.
After I got used to the character flopping, I really enjoyed this aspect and I think it added to the overall story and made parts of it flow much better.
I think the author did a great job with showing us the struggles that Celeste went through. Her inner thought battles with right and wrong.

What I didn't like:
Certain parts of the story seemed unlikely to happen. Not to say they wouldn't happen but from what you hear/read in news stories, they seem a little more unrealistic. Did those necessarily take away from the story? A little bit but not enough to stop me from reading.

Overall rating:
Even with the few minor details that irked me I really enjoyed this book. I read it in just a few days and for me that is really quick. I don't get much time in the summer to read and to get it done in a few days says something positive for the book. ( )

Sister Wife is told from the alternating points of view of three teenagers living in the polygamous community of Unity: rebellious Celeste, a 14-year-old girl who is about to be “assigned” to an older man and become a sister wife; virtuous Nanette, Celeste’s younger sister; and Taviana, a young woman who was rescued off the streets by one of the men in the community. This is an interesting device because it allows Hrdlitschka to explore what it would be like to live in Unity from three very different points of view. For the most part, I enjoyed the book: I sympathized with Celeste’s plight and was curious to find out what would happen to her. I particularly loved how Hrdlitschka used the inuksuks to introduce Celeste to another way of looking at the world. Unfortunately, I also felt that Hrdlitschka tried too hard to be non-judgemental, which made the book both less interesting and less realistic. The last chapter in particular seemed to be suggesting that polygamy is just another lifestyle choice that works for some and not for others, which is a dangerous message in my opinion.* In addition, the denouement of Celeste’s story didn’t strike me as particularly realistic. Having said that, I’m still going to recommend Sister Wife, with reservations, to those who are interested in polygamy.

*I’m not suggesting that polygamy is inherently wrong, only that being married off to an older man at the age of 15 is not a lifestyle choice. It actually isn’t a choice at all.

A slightly different version of this review can be found on my blog, she reads and reads. ( )

Celeste belongs to a polygamous cult and will be expected to marry an older man when she turns 15. But Celeste is curious and always asking questions. One member of her community, a young runaway who'd been brought in, is always telling her stories about the real world. Then there's the boy she loves and the jealous sister, who'll stop at nothing to get her way. ( )

By now, you’d have to live under a rock to have missed hearing about the various controversies surrounding polygamy in North America. I think it’s fascinating from a educational point of view. The success that these different sects have is really unbelievable, living completely cut-off from the main-stream as they do. They live in their own self-contained worlds where family and community is of the utmost importance. What one person needs, the entire community is prepared to give. But does being part of a community like this take away your individuality? Is each member given the right to speak their voice, to make their choice? And what happens to the person whose thoughts do not reflect the entire family? Does this make them a traitor to their own community?

Sister, Wife examines these thoughts from three conflicting yet complimentary perspectives. Living within a polygamous sect this story gives voice to three young girls, each with a different opinion on how they think life should be lived and how they hope to live their own lives.

Celeste was born into The Movement and will soon be married into a family made up of one older male and a group of sisters. She will share the role of wife, mother and sister. However, she does not she this as the life for her, she dreams of boys her own age rather than old men. And hopes to experience falling in love, not having her husband chosen for her.

Nanette, a few years younger than Celeste sees The Movements way of life as perfect for her. She is happy that a man has already suggested that he may like her to join his family. The idea of living her life surrounded by sisters with one husband as head of the group to be comforting, perhaps because the presence of the other wives will provide her with a never-ending sense of belonging and safety.

Taviana, is the most interesting character to me. She was born into main-stream society and when she found herself in a bad situation a family from Unity adopted her into The Movement. Because of this she has seen both world’s that are open to her. However, because of her past, she wonders whether she could ever be welcomed into the group truly, as a sister-wife. Living in Unity seems agreeable to her at this point, she is cared for and no longer has to worry about staying safe in the world. Soon though, she must make a decision on where her life will lead.

All in all, Sister, Wife was an enjoyable read. It would definitely be a good way for younger readers to learn more of the situation regarding polygamy. The author has written this book in a way that doesn’t press any underlying opinion on the reader. It was not complicated, which I think makes it a good introduction for kids who are wondering exactly what all the media is buzzing about. It also made me, as an adult reader, feel that I would really like to delve deeper into this topic and take on some more serious non-fiction reading. ( )