The Wives of Henry Oades: Summary and book reviews of The Wives of Henry Oades by Johanna Moran, plus links to an excerpt from The Wives of Henry Oades and a biography of Johanna Moran.
The Wives of Henry Oades A Novel
by Johanna Moran
Paperback: Feb 2010,
384 pages.
When Henry Oades accepts an accountancy post in New Zealand, his wife, Margaret, and their children follow him to exotic Wellington. But while Henry is an adventurer, Margaret is not. Their new home is rougher and more rustic than they expected—and a single night of tragedy shatters the family when the native Maori stage an uprising, kidnapping Margaret and her children.
For months, Henry scours the surrounding wilderness, until all hope is lost and his wife and children are presumed dead. Grief-stricken, he books passage to California. There he marries Nancy Foreland, a young widow with a new baby, and it seems they’ve both found happiness in the midst of their mourning—until Henry’s first wife and children show up, alive and having finally escaped captivity.
Narrated primarily by the two wives, and based on a real-life legal case, The Wives of Henry Oades is the riveting story of what happens when Henry, Margaret, and Nancy face persecution for bigamy. Exploring the intricacies of marriage, the construction of family, the changing world of the late 1800s, and the strength of two remarkable women, Johanna Moran turns this unusual family’s story into an unforgettable page-turning drama.
BOOK REVIEWS
BookBrowse
31 BookBrowse readers reviewed The Wives of Henry Oades, with 27 of them rating it 4 or 5 stars.
Knowing that this story was based on true events, I just couldn't put the book down! It's absolutely unforgettable (Jean N). All of the characters are portrayed well - from the children to the minor characters (Anita S)... This book would be a great book for book groups because of the legal and moral issues surrounding the incident, not to mention that it is just a fascinating story (Andrea S). The moral quandary Henry, Nacy and Margaret find themselves in would surely elicit an interesting discussion (Laura K)... 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 (Jill S). (Reviewed by BookBrowse First Impression Reviewers). Full Review (830 words).
Media Reviews
Kirkus Reviews
Fresh and unusual …. A beguiling, promising debut.
Library Journal
Even unflappable Henry remains a bit of an enigma. Still, Moran's debut, based on the true case of Henry Oades, acquitted of bigamy three times, will intrigue historical fiction fans and provide plenty of discussion points for book clubs.
Publishers Weekly
Intriguing and evocative …. A book group winner.
Meg Waite Clayton, author of the national bestseller The Wednesday Sisters
Equal parts love story and courtroom drama … a compelling story of good people caught in impossible circumstances.
Jamie Ford, bestselling author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
A historical saga seen through the lens of two wives, one husband, and the disapproving, cantankerous rabble at the end of Victorian America––a stellar debut novel.
Recent Reader Reviews
Rated of 5
by Betsy R. (Gig Harbor, WA) Great book I really loved this book. It is a unique blend of drama and historical research, which is incorporated well into the story. The women characters are particularly well-developed. I plan to recommend it to my book club when it is out in March.
Rated of 5
by Vy A. (Phoenix, The Wives of Henry Oades Based on a true story, taking place at the turn of the 20th Century in New Zealand and San Francisco, this book was difficult for me to put down because of the compelling characters and descriptive writing style, as well as an unbelievable series... Read More
An epic novel and a thrilling literary discovery, The Orphan Master's Son follows a young man's journey through the icy waters, dark tunnels, and eerie spy chambers of the world's most mysterious dictatorship, North Korea.
War, natural disaster, reckless gods and the recognition of impermanence in the world are just some of the threads that AS Byatt weaves into this most timely of books. Linguistically stunning and imaginatively abundant, this is a landmark.
A beguiling, imaginative, inspiring story about the bigness of being alive as an individual, as a member of a tribe, and as a participant in history, exploring how we use storytelling to survive and shape our own truths.
Brilliantly evoking the long-vanished world of masters and servants, Margaret Powell's classic memoir of her time in service is the remarkable true story of an indomitable woman who, though she served in the great houses of England, never stopped aiming high.
Vivid, daring, and unforgettable, The Printmaker's Daughter shines fresh light on art, loyalty, and the tender and indelible bond between a father and daughter.
I read The Healing in two sittings it is a fascinating story of plantation life at the beginning of the Civil War. Granada, a slave newborn child...
read more
The Uncommon Reader is a novella by novelist and playwright, Alan Bennett. The story starts with the Queen coming across the mobile library van...
read more
Amazon to open bricks and mortar store in Seattle(Feb 07 2012) Last week, the word in the blogosphere was that Amazon was considering opening a bricks-and-mortar store. Over the weekend goodereader.com added substance to...
Full Story
Arizona bills Amazon for $53 million in uncollected sales tax(Feb 06 2012) The ongoing sales tax battle between many US states and large online retailers, most notably Amazon, continues with a thrust from Arizona which, last week,...
Full Story
(830 words).
Publishers Weekly
Meg Waite Clayton, author of the national bestseller The Wednesday Sisters
of 5
by Betsy R. (Gig Harbor, WA)
RSS feed
