The Wives of Henry Oades

Synopsis: In 1890, Henry Oades decided to undertake the arduous sea voyage from England to New Zealand in order to further his family's fortunes. Here they settled on the lush but wild coast -- although it wasn't long before disaster struck in the most unexpected of ways. A local Maori tribe, incensed at their treatment at the hands of the settlers, kidnapped Mrs Oades and her four children, and vanished into the rugged hills surrounding the town. Henry searched ceaselessly for his family, but two grief-stricken years later was forced to conclude that they must be dead. In despair he shipped out to San Francisco to start over, eventually falling in love with and marrying a young widow. In the meantime, Margaret Oades and her children were leading a miserable existence, enslaved to the local tribe. When they contracted smallpox they were cast out and, ill and footsore, made their way back to town, five years after they were presumed dead. Discovering that Henry was now half a world away, they were determined to rejoin him. So months later they arrived on his doorstep in America and Henry Oades discovered that he had two wives and many dilemmas ! This is a darkly comic but moving historical fiction debut about love and family, based on a controversial court case from the early 1900s.

Review: I Liked this one, it has the sort of absurd humour that appeals to me. Immensely readable it tells the story of Henry Oades, who is seeking his fortune (and that of his wife Margaret and four children) in New Zealand in 1890. I believe the tale is based on a true story but Johanna Moran has given it flesh and bones. When Henry returns from work one evening he finds his home a smouldering wreck and the unrecognisable body of a woman amongst the ashes. he searches high and low for his family but cannot find them or news of them. Eventually, believing them to be dead, he sails to San Francisco where he eventually meets, falls in love and marries Nancy.

The reader knows all along that his first wife and children (all except one) are still alive, they have been captured and imprisoned by a local Maori tribe (with the body back at the homestead being that of a visiting friend) and you know it's only a matter of time before they all meet up (the title is a bit of a giveaway in that respect.)

'A pretty girl opened the door and eyed them up and down suspiciously. 'Forgive us for startling you' Margaret said 'Is this the home of Mr Henry Oades?.' The girl poked at her unruly hair 'who wants to know?' The insolent lass could use a good caning. 'We are Mrs Henry Oades and children, we're not expected.' The girl scowled, cocking her head as if she hadn't heard right. 'You're his mother?' 'I'm his wife miss, if it's any concern of yours'. The loony thing clapped hands to ears and closed her eyes. With an audible amen her hands dropped to her sides, wedding band gaudy new, winking with sunlight. 'I'm sorry, but I am Henry Oades wife now.'

Again it's a book that makes you laugh a lot but you also care about the characters .. Margaret in particular. It's a situation nobody would want to find themselves in, it's humiliating and degrading but Margaret is made of stern stuff and she's determined to make it work. That's not to say that Nancy is unlikeable, both women try and work things out so that they can all live in peace together but of course it's not as easy as that. They never descend into Krystal/Alexis catfighting as you might expect, there's a mutual respect and understanding of each other's position but they both harbour regrets and resentments as would be only natural. Watching them cope with each other and the situation they find themselves in is fascinating.A great story told with warmth and humour, I couldn't put it down.