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5.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Book!, October 8, 2004
This review is from: The Killing of Greybird (Paperback)
I read "The Killing of Greybird" in nearly one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed the book. The setting is the town of Manti, Utah in the 1860s. As such, the main characters are all LDS (Mormon) settlers, including the protagonist, David Halliday. The references, then, to LDS beliefs and practices are spread throughout and in fact prove crucial to the resolution of the novel. I enjoyed it in the same way I enjoyed Levi Peterson's "Backslider" where the religious culture provides such a rich backdrop to the main story.
In addition to the religious elements, I also liked the historical setting. Southeastern Utah during the 1860s was embroiled in a conflict called the Black Hawk War. As a 19th century historian, I often read books set in this time period and enjoy them when the history is accurate as it is in this novel. David Halliday has just returned from fighting in the Civil War when the book begins. To his dismay, he is recruited to help train the local townspeople to fight Black Hawk and his followers. Small scrimmages soon follow with David in the middle of them. It was interesting to see how the townspeople tried to reconcile their religious commitment to "loving thy neighbor" with the animosity they too often felt toward their neighbors, the Indians:
"[David's] father continued his farewell sermon: `Our community has struggled this year with the war with Black Hawk. I realize that war leads to hate and bad feelings, but I implore you to look to the example of Jesus Christ and forgive them who hurt you. Black Hawk has followed an awful, murderous path, but he is still a Saint...'" [p. 167]
At its heart, "The Killing of Greybird" is a mystery. When David Halliday returns from the East Coast, he finds that his adopted Indian brother, Greybird, has been murdered. David determines that he will discover who killed Greybird at all costs. He questions various townspeople, including a girl with whom he develops a relationship; he travels to Salt Lake and meets with federal soldiers; he spends nights camped out near where the murder took place. As in any good mystery, several possible scenarios are explored, but when the true killer is revealed, it is unexpected, and in this case, tragic.
In the end, I liked this book best because it sets up an ideal of how we all should live and then shows the very human way that we all fail to meet the ideal. When Greybird's killer is finally revealed, David realizes that quick justice is often not possible, that some questions might have been better left unasked, and that only through forgiveness can he move forward. The rich background of faith, western hardship, and Indian wars all provide a compelling environment for a great story.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
A fan across the miles!, April 25, 2005
This review is from: The Killing of Greybird (Paperback)
I bought this book at the Historical Novel Society Conference because I'd met Eric Swedin and liked him so much. Because the author is an engaging man gifted with knowledge in such a wide range of subjects, I expected his book to be interesting, if not my usual cup of java. Instead, I absolutely loved it.
The Killing of Greybird is a history lesson, theological study, family saga, war novel, mystery, and heartfelt love story all in one, told in words and images as beautiful as any lyrical poem I've ever read. From the evocative opening scenes to the soul-satisfying final pages, this book touched me on so many levels. The characters are such real people and so multi-layered that they quickly became friends I knew I'd miss after turning the last page--even Greybird, who dies before the book begins and I met only through his family's memories. Author Swedin doles out plot twists and revelations with sublime subtlety, then ties everything together for a stirring conclusion that leaves nothing unresolved, and he does it with insights into human nature that resonate with wisdom to rival the scriptures themselves.
When a book can make an Alabama Baptist who grew up in the late seventies feel as if she were part of a family of Latter Day Saints in post-Civil War Utah, you know the author has written an amazing novel. Do yourself a favor and buy your own copy, then set aside some time to visit with the Halliday family of Manti, Utah.
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