The
Veil
by Diane Noble
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A shroud of secrecy
cloaks a new nineteenth-century sect known simply as the
Saints ... but that veil is about to be drawn away. Amidst
the Majestic Beauty of 1857 Utah, the members of one secluded
religious group claim to want nothing more than to practice
their beliefs without persecution. Yet among them are
many who engage in secret vows and brutal acts of atonement...
all in the name of God. But one young woman, Hannah McClary,
dares to question the truth behind the shroud. Soon Hannah
and the young man she loves -- Lucas Knight, who has been
trained from childhood to kill on behalf of the Church
-- find themselves fighting for their very lives. As a
group of unwary pioneer families marches into Utah toward
a tragic confrontation with the Saints at a place called
Mountain Meadows, Hannah and Lucas are thrust into the
most difficult conflict of all -- a battle for truth and
justice -- even as they are learning for the first time
about unconditional love, acceptance, and forgiveness.
I found "The Veil"
to be intriguing and suspenseful throughout. It was a
dark and depressing picture of the clash between the Mormons
in Utah and the settlers in wagon trains moving through
Mormon territory to realize their dreams in California.
I found this to be an upsetting book as it realistically
described the rituals of sealing in the temple, blood-letting,
and plural marriages. I wanted to read as fast as I could
to finish for two reasons. One: I wanted to finish what
I considered to be a depressing book. Two: I was dying
to know how it would all turn out, knowing full well that
many characters would lose their lives before the story
was over.
Being familiar with
Mormons growing up in a southern Alberta community, I
was already aware of many of these rituals and practices,
but I can imagine this would be a very informative book
for those who don't know too much about the Mornmons and
would like to know more. I would recommend this book to
those people. This is not a particularly uplifting book,
but if you want a deep and realistic fictional account
of the Mormons, you may enjoy reading this.
