This is the story of a strong woman in a difficult position, with the spectre of an unfathomable loss lurking in the background and coloring many of her thoughts. I found myself sucked into Deborah’s psyche to a much larger degree than I’d expected, and very quickly too. Although their lifestyle is far different to that of modern Australians, their emotional needs and interactions with each other are much the same. However, it’s the characters that really make this novel stand out. The unusual setting and historical background was fascinating, and Weisgarber brings them to life vividly and completely. She’s independent and capable, but they clearly share a deep love which means that although she can get along fine without him, life would be much improved by his mere presence. Weisgarber does a wonderful job of depicting the way Deborah longs for her husband. But it’s not normal for them to come in the depths of winter, and it seems this fugitive brings a different kind of trouble in his wake. It is not the first time a man has turned up, seeking help evading the lawmen who want to arrest him for polygamy.
Deborah longs for him, the more so when a stranger brings trouble to her doorstep. This has been the pattern of much of their marriage, and Deborah accepts it. He spends around three months a year travelling, working as a wheelwright across many small settlements. Weisgarber’s extrapolations are not unreasonable.ĭeborah Tyler is awaiting the return of her husband, Samuel. Some might say that the author is adding a modern gloss here, but in fact Junction is based on a real place and had clear differences from other areas settled by the Saints notably, only one family practiced plural marriage.
These settlers are seeking a place where they can live as Saints but not be constrained by every teaching of the church. They have become uncomfortable with some aspects of their religion one character remarks cynically that the practice of praying for religious revelations usually results in people being “told” to do what they wanted to do anyway. A number of Saints live here, but they are Saints seeking “a little air” between themselves and their church. This novel is set in and around the tiny settlement of Junction. I’m not sure I’ve ever come across this aspect of American history in any of the actual history I’ve read. Indeed, while this novel referenced incidents I was already aware of, it’s occurred to me that I really only know of them through other works of historical fiction. This uses a part of American history that is not, I think, well known – the persecution of Mormons. While “The Glovemaker” is primarily the story of Deborah Tyler, the glovemaker of the title, it is also a story of the hardships particular settlers experienced in a young America.
0 kommentar(er)
