Customer Reviews

The Veil (The Cult Series #1)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Diane Noble's THE VEIL is a magnificent story, very compelling and even sometimes painful to read. Including atrocities done by the early Mormons, its much more than that. It is a history lesson, a story of faith, a story of strength and perseverence and a love story. Well written and inspiring, it is a must read for anyone who likes stories with strong women characters. I'm looking forward to more stories like this from this author.

In THE VEIL, Diane Noble re-tells the tragic story of the massacre of a wagon train at the hands of the Mormon church back in the early days of Utah.

The story here is based upon events that actually occurred. Noble's writing flows well and is convincing, though it won't win any literary awards. She succeeds in taking what could be just a textbook tragedy and turning it into something more human and empathetic. THE VEIL not only un-veils the truth about the massacre, but it gives you a fascinating glimpse into what life in the early Mormon church was like (with the pioneer spirit, the hierarchy, and the polygamy -- a practice that is no longer preached). If early Mormon history interests you at all, you'll want to pick this one up, and even it doesn't this should be an interesting read on its own. FOUR STARS.

Diane Noble's novel "The Veil" is a masterpiece of historical fiction based on grim-but-true historical fact. As you trek across America with this band of pioneers, you'll feel every pebble in your shoe, taste every mouthful of prairie dust, and grieve with every disappointment these characters face as they journey toward their inevitable fate. And yet, despite the sorrow, there is a shining redemption that comes through in "The Veil." Only Diane Noble could find hope and glory in such a story, and bring it to life with such dramatic detail. In a word...I loved it!

Diane Noble has written a riveting book about a powerful and disturbing historical event. Anyone interested in the Mormon Church should read this book--everyone should read this book! Highly recommended.

Francine Rivers definitely got it right with her endorsement that's printed on the front of this book: "Prepare to burn the midnight oil." Just so you know....she was not kidding. I was awake past midnight the past 2 nights reading this fabulous book. :o) Even though I am a Christian, I am intrigued by the Mormon culture, and occasionally like to read something that gives me a better understanding of their history and lifestyle, and why they believe what they do.

While reading this book, I thought about what life must have been like back then. The events in the book take place just shortly before the Civil War, and it's just heartbreaking to think of how much killing took place back then. I don't understand how a society (the Mormons) could believe in blood atonement--a person giving up their own life to atone for their own personal sins to achieve a higher level of godhood when they make it to their own planet. There are some serious brainwashing issues there.

Of course, I don't even have to mention the obvious issues with some of the things that are the central basis of Mormon belief, although the multiple wives issue is no longer a part of the Mormon theology, just the FLDS (Fundementalist Church of Latter-Day Saints). There is one scene in the book where a wedding takes place, and the bride is given a new name just before the ceremony. When her groom leans to ask her new name, she gives it to him, and he explains to her that this new name will be hers after death when they get to their planet. She'll only be welcomed there once her groom calls her by her new name, not her old. The problem with this is the groom is the one who can get her into heaven (along with all his other wives), not God. More brainwashing issues....

The emotions in this book are all over the place, and I mean that in a good way. There were times when I was happy, sad, shocked, and in tears. I also loved that the story was told from both sides--the Mormons on one side, the people from the wagon train on the other--and even though I knew how things would play out, it helped to see everything from both sides. I couldn't help but grieve for both Ellie (from the wagon train) and Hannah (from the Mormon community)--Ellie because of the pregnancy that she had to live through while driving a rig across the country, and Hannah because of what she's forced into once she's an adult.

No doubt about it, this book will definitely be a keeper for me and loaned out many times, I'm sure! This is a 5-star book, hands down! (Now, must go and find out if Diane Noble has written anything else like this....)

"The Veil" is a very well-written Christian historical novel with some romantic elements. The main characters are caught up in historic events during their childhood and into their young adult years which climax at the Mountain Meadow massacre in Utah in 1857.

The description was vivid, bringing the world alive in my imagination without slowing the pacing. The historical detail was nice and added to the feel of the book. The tension was built nicely throughout the story.

There was a strong religious element to this book (of both traditional Christianity and Mormonism). Since there were several short sermons and a number of discussions about what was taught, I suppose you could call sections of the story "preachy" though I never felt it was heavy-handed.

The characters were all complex and interesting. Some Mormon characters behaved compassionately and others brutally just as some non-Mormon characters behaved compassionately and others brutally. This is not a "all Mormons are bad" book.

However, I strongly suspect most Mormons wouldn't enjoy reading this book since several of the Mormon characters questioned Brigham Young's teachings on multiple marriages, blood atonement, and a few other things. It's clear, though, that the author carefully researched the events and stuck to historical information closely. For example, many quotes that were attributed to Brigham Young and other Mormon leaders in "The Veil" were taken from actual sermons and writings.

A sex scene was implied (within a marriage). There was no bad language. I'd rate this novel as very good, clean reading. I would recommend it to anyone who's interested in this period of Mormon history or who likes wagon train stories.


Review also up on Genre Reviews

Waterbrook sent me a great new historical novel to review this month, THE VEIL, by Diane Noble. The early Mormon church, with its polygamy and violent Dannite enforcers have always been fascinating to me, but it's a subject that until recently was rarely visited in books, so I was very eager to read this novel, which deals with a hero and heroine scarred by their experiences with the Mormon church during the time when it left Nauvoo, Illinois and settled in Utah, and the infamous but little known Mountain Meadows massacre.

This book interweaves two sets of characters, Hannah, a girl who finds herself fleeing Illinois with the Mormons, and Lucas, who is drawn into the ranks of the Dannites, and that of the settlers who teach them another way, the way of Jesus Christ. Hannah and Lucas have long secretly questioned what they're taught by Brigham Young and the other Mormon leaders, but it will take tragedy before they are finally able to break free.

It was fascinating to me to see how the author wove together these two plotlines without stinting on either, and I cheered for Hannah and Lucas and the two settlers who changed the course of their lives. Kudos to Waterbrook for telling a story that could be considered controversial as it rips "the veil" off the picture the idealistic picture the Mormon church has painted of its pioneer beginnings. I will be eager to read more by Diane Noble.
Blessings, Laurie Kingery, Random/Waterhouse/Multnomah reviewer

This book really kept me interested from the prologue to the final chapter. It was exciting and even made me cry somewhat. Diane Noble (aka Amanada MacLean) is one of my favorite authors, and I reccomment any books by her.

Diane Nobel has written about an event that happened one hundred years ago but that steps out from the past to teach us and touch us today. This is a story of love and betrayal and of worship gone wrong. She tells this story with the passion of one who cares deeply for the Christian faith. Highly recommended reading with the hope that in learning of this event, we may also learn of ways to not repeat it in the twentieth century.

In "The Veil," Diane Noble gives her readers a much-needed history lesson on a little-talked about episode in American history. Noble enlightens readers about the past practices and present-day beliefs of the Mormon faith. She gives Christian readers a more thorough understanding of the hows and whys of the Mormon beliefs, while thoughtfully introducing readers to God's real, saving grace.