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The Wives of Henry Oades: A Novel
by Johanna Moran

Published: 2010-01-29
Kindle Edition : 386 pages
1 member reading this now
8 clubs reading this now
1 member has read this book
Recommended to book clubs by 5 of 5 members
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 ...
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Introduction

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.


From the Trade Paperback edition.

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Discussion Questions

Suggested by Members

Discuss how Henry's reaction to Margaret and the children returning after all those years could have been handled differently.
At what point in the book did each character show a 'naiveness' to the circumstances they were in.
Discuss the ending. Did Margarets choice seem unusual? Will Margaret stay with Henry and Nancy?
by zacharyasz (see profile) 09/21/10

Notes From the Author to the Bookclub

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Book Club Recommendations

Member Reviews

Overall rating:
 
 
  "Average Book"by YNES O. (see profile) 03/01/11

 
  "The Wives of Henry Oades"by Mary M. (see profile) 02/28/11

Nearly all of our members enjoyed this story about Henry Oades, a man who ends up married to two women at the same time. Henry agonized over his first wife Maragaret's death in New Zealand, ... (read more)

 
  "The Wives of Henry Oades"by Jennifer Z. (see profile) 09/21/10

This book really got our groups emotions going! We all had some strong opinions towards Henry. He is a character we will always remember! The issue of having one wife who you think has died and then... (read more)

 
  "The Wives of Henry Oades"by Jane H. (see profile) 09/21/10

Good but frustrating

 
  "A great women's story!"by ROSE O. (see profile) 06/17/10

Based on the true story of a man who, convinced his first wife and children had been murdered during a Maori uprising in New Zealand, immigrates to the United States and eventually remarries. When his... (read more)

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