A Woman Of Destiny

by Orson Scott Card

When ten-year-old Dinah Kirkham saw her father leaving in the middle of the night, she asked when he would be back. "Soon," he said. On that night in 1829, John Kirkham built the foundation of his daughter's certainty that the only person she could ever really trust was herself. From that day forward, Dinah worked to support her family, remaining fiercely devoted to their welfare even in the face of despair...until the day she met two messengers preaching the restored gospel of Christ, and found something else to devote herself to, requiring her to sacrifice everything she had in the service of the Lord.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical

713 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published January 1, 1984

About the author

Orson Scott Card is an American writer known best for his science fiction works. He is (as of 2023) the only person to have won a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award in consecutive years, winning both awards for his novel Ender's Game (1985) and its sequel Speaker for the Dead (1986). A feature film adaptation of Ender's Game, which Card co-produced, was released in 2013. Card also wrote the Locus Fantasy Award-winning series The Tales of Alvin Maker (1987–2003).
Card's fiction often features characters with exceptional gifts who make difficult choices with high stakes. Card has also written political, religious, and social commentary in his columns and other writing; his opposition to homosexuality has provoked public criticism.
Card, who is a great-great-grandson of Brigham Young, was born in Richland, Washington, and grew up in Utah and California. While he was a student at Brigham Young University (BYU), his plays were performed on stage. He served in Brazil as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and headed a community theater for two summers. Card had 27 short stories published between 1978 and 1979, and he won the John W. Campbell Award for best new writer in 1978. He earned a master's degree in English from the University of Utah in 1981 and wrote novels in science fiction, fantasy, non-fiction, and historical fiction genres starting in 1979. Card continued to write prolifically, and he has published over 50 novels and 45 short stories.
Card teaches English at Southern Virginia University; he has written two books on creative writing and serves as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest. He has taught many successful writers at his "literary boot camps". He remains a practicing member of the LDS Church and Mormon fiction writers Stephenie Meyer, Brandon Sanderson, and Dave Wolverton have cited his works as a major influence.

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was truly offended by this book. I have enjoyed other books, by Orson Scott Card, but I found "Saints" (also known as "A Woman of Destiny") to be crude, vile and misleading. His portrayal of historical events is very distorted and he takes a sacred thing and turns it into a way to satisfy men and women's lusts.

The first half of the book tells the of Dinah Kirkman growing up in England and is VERY depressing. I continued to read the book with the hope that it would get better. It didn't! The story continues about Dinah's polygamous marriage to Joseph Smith then latter to Brigham Young. The story takes a very harsh view on Emma Smith, fictionalizing her pushing Dinah down the stairs which leads to Dinah's miscarriage of the prophet's son. The intimate relationships were too graphically described, everything from attempted rape, child abuse and whore houses. Not an uplifting book at all!

[Mary Jane · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hated this book. I really like Orson Scott Card as an author. I actually really enjoyed the first part of this book. I don't particularly enjoy historical fiction, but I took this book on, because it was based on the life of Eliza R. Snow. She was an amazing woman. When it got into polygamy, I didn't want to keep reading. I finished the book to have closure, but it really didn't get any better. As a conservative feminist, I really struggle with polygamy. I felt like the book was a lot about intimacy. Not a lot of it was immorality, but the topic got old for me. I kept thinking, "Are we on this topic again?" Then dealing with intimacy in polygamy was just weird for me.

[Margaret · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was a bit depressing and I think Card took too many liberties in describing her polygamous marriage.

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are some books that I want all the characters to die by page 5 - this is one of those books. The books was in a box from a garage sale otherwise I would not have picked it up.

[Maggie P · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to comment on Orson Scott Card books because I have a lot of them. I think most of his books are actually 4 stars, and some 5. But I hesitate to put that. He drives me crazy that he has to put intimate details, that I'd rather not read about in his books...I think they would be better without them, 4 or 5's, but I would be imbarrassed to 4 or 5 star them and then have someone read them and be surprised. I love his writing. It hasn't stopped me from reading, but I hesitate to let my sons read his books for that reason. Wish he kept his books cleaner, they really are great sci-fi. And I think the best thing about his writing, is how he takes mormon scripture and turns it into pieces of sci-fi in his books. It makes it really fun to read!! I also think he has a great perspective on people and their thinking. I love to learn more about his characters, I feel like I really know them when I am done reading.

[Pdoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually the book I have is called "Saints" but I understand it was re-named when it was re-printed. My husband took me to the bookstore for my 25th birthday. We'd been in Japan for nearly three years. I'd been reading sci-fi and fantasy for more than ten years. I'd long since run out of things to read that were either in English or interesting. Finding this book on the shelf (why it was in fantasy, I'll never know) was a gorgeous surprise. Take LDS history, add Card's flair for drama and you have a hugely gripping book. His depiction of Joseph Smith's death is the most beautiful, most poignant I've ever read. This is a book that wears you out by the end.

[Laurie Moreland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Browsing through our books, looking for some light fiction to read, and came across this gem written by a sci-fi author that I enjoyed. The cover made it look like a "bodice ripper." I was intrigued. Orson Scott Card writing a romance novel? The first third was interesting and engaging historical fiction. The last two thirds were so interwoven with the history of my church that I couldn't read it objectively. Card did a great job of painting with words the picture of a great woman. Enjoyable read! Don't let the cover fool you.

[Margie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was good enough and detailed enough to make me wonder whether the herione was an actual person, whether she was based on an actual person or based on an amalgamation of several people. Liked it. Read it twice.

[Gay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Also retitled Saints, this is an interesting book about one of Joseph Smith's polygamous wives. It brought up a number of questions about the history of plural marriage and about Joseph Smith himself. It made me want to know more about true LDS history rather than just someone's interpretation.

[Stasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has been republished as Saints

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reissued under another name. Can't think of it now.

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good weaving of historical fiction

[Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

JUNE 2020, EDITED TO ADD: Because his political and personal views are poisonous garbage, I no longer read or recommend Card.

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Mormon propaganda! Caveat lector!

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Controversial but interesting!

[Kit★]

Maybe...