Here is a book that I found incredibly interesting and compelling. It’s about three teenage girls living in a closed religious community called Unity. And by “closed religious community” I mean that there is a Prophet and plural wives (hence the title). The religion is called The Movement, and it is all fictional, but you know it’s based on some semblance of truth.

Each chapter of Sister Wife is told from a different character’s point of view. There is Celeste, who is 15 and about to be assigned a husband, something she isn’t really sure she wants or is ready for; Taviana, who is 17 and has only been living in Unity for about a year, having been rescued from a life of prostitution by one of the men; and Celeste’s younger sister, Nanette, who is 13 and desperately wants to be married and achieve her salvation.

Celeste has trouble “practicing purity” and eventually gives in to the temptation of spending time alone with a boy her own age. That seems to cause all manner of trouble, from Taviana being sent away from Unity to Celeste being assigned to her boyfriend’s father as his next wife after the boy leaves Unity. Nanette is heartbroken, as her older sister is married to the man she wanted to marry.

This book reminds us that there are women in these sorts of situations who are truly happy and really do not feel oppressed. Whether or not they’ve been brainwashed is another question, but if there is no abuse going on (and there is definitely some happening in this community), is it really the task of outsiders to hold them in judgment? (Aside from the fact that polygamy is against the law in most of North America, I mean.)

All three girls do eventually find their happiness. I will leave it to you to read the book and find out what that means for each.