When the Moon Turns to Blood: Lori Vallow, Chad Daybell, and a Story of Murder, Wild Faith, and End Times. Leah Sottile. 2022. 320 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: I remember when they found the bodies.
Premise/plot: Is this a 'true-crime' book covering the case of Lori Vallow's missing [murdered] children? Yes. In part. It is a broader book than that. It seeks to explore the why. I'll clarify--the why in generalities not specifics. Or not only specifics. Why are there [so many] fringe, extremists, end-times-obsessed groups in the United States? Why do people believe and follow such leaders--often charismatic leaders? How do these groups get started? How do they thrive? How do they go unchecked? In particular, on the fringe-border-spaces of the Mormon (LDS church). Why is doomsday prepping such a big thing? Why the focus on the last days? How much is an inherited "us" vs. "them" mentality? Has the past violence in the church--in the early decades of the nineteenth century--unduly influencing the church still? Why the fascination with near death experiences? Why are so many quick to believe new prophecies and new visions? Is there ever a point where strange becomes too strange? What are the dangers of living in a vacuum. I'll clarify that last one--obviously not literal. If you live in a town, a city, a community, where almost every single person--and almost all authoritative positions--are of a particular religion, say LDS (or Mormon), then what are the dangers and risks? Obviously, there would be plenty of benefits. But there would be risks as well for those that are speaking up about the red flags they see, for those whistle blowers, for those saying HEY something is wrong. The past is the past is the past, but if some of those speaking out had been heard, then maybe just maybe the story would have been different. There were definitely instances of "I knew something was wrong" or "I knew something was off" or "this didn't feel right" or "nothing she was saying made sense to me" etc. Several times outsiders [though perhaps fellow LDS] would say, yes, she's strange but she doesn't pose a threat to anyone else. Yes, she's talking utter nonsense, but it's harmless nonsense. [I can't remember if this was a medical person evaluating her mental health OR a police officer determining if she needed to have her mental health evaluated.]
The book covers OTHER fringe groups over the past hundred, hundred-fifty years. The book covers the legacy of those end-times obsessed, anti-government groups that were all out committed to surviving these last days. The book covers those overlapping spaces between politics and religion that can breed extremists of multiple varieties.
My thoughts: I wasn't expecting a history lesson. I didn't mind a history lesson. But I was expecting a bit narrower focus. I can see why the focus was broadened. In response to the more shallow coverage of the case that separates it out...and turns it into a case of love, lust, passion, obsession. But the case is more complex than that. WAY more complex than that.
© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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