This Month in Mormon Literature, April 29, 2016

This month, we honor the work of William “Bert” Wilson, a beloved folklorist, who left us too soon. YA novelist Julie Berry’s The Passion of Dolssa is a story of faith and friendship set in medieval Provance. It has received remarkable reviews, including nearly a sweep of starred reviews, from Publishers Weekly, Horn Book, School Library Journal, Booklist, and the Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books. Shawn Vestal, a former Mormon, has produced Daredevils, a literary novel about people leaving Mormonism (both mainstream and polygamous) in the 1970s, set in the polygamous communities of Short Creek, and in Idaho. It has received very strong reviews. The Saturday’s Warrior film is doing fairly well at the box office, and a theatrical version is playing in Orem. Reviewers are preparing for the upcoming Whitney Awards. Brandon Sanderson was nominated for another Hugo. Please send any news or corrections to Mormonlit AT gmail DOT com.

In Memoriam

William “Bert” Wilson passed away on April 25. He was 82 years old. Wilson was the AML President in 1988. He won two AML Awards, an Honorary Lifetime Membership in 1988, and the Criticism Award in 1990 for “In Praise of Ourselves: Stories to Tell” (BYU Studies, 30:1). According to his obituary, he taught for many years on the faculty at BYU and Utah State. He was Director of the Folklore program and archives at USU from 1978-1985, and chair of the BYU English Department from 1985-1991. He would then work for many years as the Director of the Redd Center for Western Studies at BYU. Wilson developed a distinguished national and international reputation as a folklorist. He has published dozens of articles and books in the areas of Finnish folklore and Mormon folklore, and he was Editor of the journal Western Folklore. He received the Utah Governor’s Award in the Arts in 1998, the Leonard J. Arrington Award by the Mormon History Association in 2002, and high honors from the Finnish government, the Finnish Literature Society and the Kalevala Society.

Here is an excerpt from his 1990 AML Award citation. “Bert Wilson has stories to tell. He tells stories well. And they are our stories (even, and perhaps most especially, when they are his own). Missionary stories. Stories of Relief Society presidents and bishops. Three Nephite stories. Trickster tales. Serious stories of humor. Farming stories. Outlaw stories. Theological stories. Personal narratives. His mother’s stories of Riddyville, a town that now exists only in stories. “His—our—stories are celebratory, healing, human stories. Stories that help us build a sense of community and then deal with the pressures that community imposes. Stories without which we have no selves. Stories that shape our lives as we shape them. He doesn’t teach us to tell stories (for he seems to think of us as natural geniuses), but he does help us to value them, to study them, to recognize our humanity in them, to feel again the power of our own good fictions, the joy of our divine capacity to create.”

A substantial interview with Wilson, by Andrew Jorgensen, was published in Irreantum 7:1, 2005. Here is one of his comments: “I have tried to make people who are not always sympathetic to folklore studies become more sympathetic. I received the Leonard Arrington Award recently from the Mormon History Association. That’s the highest honor that the association gives. They give one of these awards each year. The award mentioned that I had helped the historians understand the importance of folklore in interpreting Mormon culture. Since I published my first piece on that subject, “Folklore and History: Fact Amid the Legends,” back in 1973, that was what I have been trying to accomplish, but it’s not always easy, so I was happy to get the award. I’d like to se a parallel recognition in the Association for Mormon Letters or in the world of letters and literature. I don’t think we’ve gotten there yet. I am an honorary lifetime member of the AML, and that was awarded to me for my work in folklore, but I still think most of the people who teach literature need a better understanding of what folklore is and how it can help them in the courses that they teach. Those of us who teach American literature need to understand how folklore reveals the essence of the American character—if not one American character, then many different American characters. That would be true of Mormon literature as well.”

Here is an essay that Boyd Petersen wrote about Wilson and his book The Marrow of Human Experience: Essays on Folklore, which appeared in 2008 for the Journal of Mormon History.

Services for Wilson:

Friday, 29 April 6-8 p.m. Visitation in the Relief Society Room at the Mohave Chapel (3050 North Mohave Lane in Provo)

Saturday, 30 April 9-10:30 a.m. Visitation in the Relief Society Room at the Mohave Chapel. 11:00 a.m. Funeral Service

News and blogs

Brandon Sanderson’s novella “Perfect State” was nominated for a Hugo Award. In this blog post, Sanderson talks about what is going on with the Hugos recently, and his reaction to the efforts of the “Puppy” groups, who put the novella on their recommended slates.

The LDS Publishing Professionals Association is holding an annual awards contest. “To encourage, support, and applaud high-quality publications, LDSPPA is excited to hold an annual awards contest with a cash prize awarded to each winning team. Unique to LDSPPA, awards will be granted not only to the author/main producer but to the entire team involved in the publication (author, editor, designer, illustrator, director, etc.). Categories: Text publication—short form.  Text publication—long form. Multimedia publication—short form. Multimedia publication—long form. 
Audio/video—short form
. Audio/video—long form.” There is a 
May 31 deadline.

At A Motley Vision. The Appeal of Science Fiction for (Some) Mormons, by Jonathan Langford. We have a name for the Mormon alternate history mini-anthology (plus submissions update) , by William Morris. Adam & Eve in 2016, by Theric Jepson.

Derrick Clement, who writes for the Daily Herald, seems to be working a “Mormon Arts” beat. In his essay, “Mormon art needs messiness”, he ruminates on some thoughts after speaking with Saturday’s Warrior creator Lex de Azevedo (who apparently needs to get out and experience more of the good Mormon art that is available). Clements says, “I take issue with the assertion that being willing to poke fun at my faith means I might be heading for the exit. If ex-Mormons are the only ones willing to critically engage, Mormon culture may really have no hope.”

Segullah starts its annual wrap-up of Whitney Award finalists, with Rosalyn Eves on YA Speculative and YA General. She liked them all, with her favorites being This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee and Calvin by Martine Leavitt. Also, Jessie (FoxyJ) reviewed the Romance books, with Always Will by Melanie Jacobson and Lord Fenton’s Folly by Josi Kilpack appearing to be her favorites.

BYU Media Arts and Theater End-of-the-year awards included:

• Mayhew Screenwriting Award – Web Series: Jacob Gibson for Temporal Family and Ian David Hawkes for Jesse Owen’s Adventures in Scriptworld 
• 1st Place Mayhew Screenwriting Award: Daniel Tu for We the People
• 2nd Place Mayhew Screenwriting Award: Alexis Kaegi for Peace Room
• 3rd Place Mayhew Screenwriting Award: Hannah Harper for Mom?
• Mayhew Screenwriting Award – Feature Film: Jacob Gibson for Dissonance

• Mayhew Full-length Playwriting Award: Chandra Lloyd for Happy Sadness
• Mayhew One-Act Playwriting Award: Kristen Perkins for Cycles
• Mayhew 10-Minute Playwriting Award: Kristen Perkins for Freeze
• Mayhew 10-Minute Playwriting Award: Jacob Baird for The Longest Shift at Greasy Steve’s.

Submissions for The Fifth Annual Mormon Lit Blitz Writing Contest are due by May 7, to everydaymormonwriter@gmail.com. Submitted works may be in any genre so long as they are under 1,000 words and designed to resonate with an LDS audience in some way.

Magazines and short stories

The Spring 2016 Issue of Dialogue begins Boyd Petersen’s editorship. The issue includes a short story by Stephen Carter, “The Trail”, a sermon by Phyllis Barber, and poetry by Mark Brown, Warren Hatch, Sarah E. Page, and Jenny Webb. There is Michael Austin’s review of Steven Peck’s two recent collections, Rosalynde Welch’s review of Craig Harline’s memoir, and Taylor G. Petrey’s review of Terryl Givens’ book. Also lots of articles, essays, and reviews on Mormon-Catholic topics, and more.

Sunstone #160, Spring 2016. The issue includes: “Still Finding Pieces,” a personal essay by Lia Hadley, “And Thorns Will Grow There,” a short story by Emily Belanger, and poetry by Javen Tanner and Anita Tanner.

Leading Edge, volume 68 was released in March 2016. Featuring work by Kirstie Olley, Lynn Buchanan, Mark C. Childs, Samuel Kabakoff, Miriam King, Forest Taylor, Leah E. Welker, and Richard Wolkomir.

Redneck Eldrich. Cold Fusion Media, May 1. Speculative fiction short stories. “Sometimes amusing, sometimes horrifying, always unsettling, sixteen authors bring you sixteen tales of white trash meeting dark gods, the yellowed bones of antiquity, and colors that can’t be named.” Among the stories are: “Recording Devices” by D.J. Butler, “Blood” by Steve Diamond, “Ostler Wallow” by Nathan Shumate, “The Swimming Hole” by Theric Jepson, “Taxed” by Scott William Taylor, “A Brown and Dismal Horror” by Jaleta Clegg, “The Diddley Bow Horror” by Brad R. Torgersen, “At the Highways of Madness” by David J. West. Also Sarah E. Seeley, David Dunwoody, Jason A. Anderson, Garrett Calcaterra, SM Williams, Robert J Defendi, Robert Masterson.

Steven L. Peck. “Harbingers.” Dark Lane Anthology: Volume 3. Dark Lane Books, April 17.

Brad R. Torgersen. “Jupiter or Bust”. Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show. #50, April 2016.

New books and their reviews

Traci Hunter Abramson. Royal Brides. Covenant, April 1. Romantic suspense. Royal Series #3.

Denver Acey. The Cryptic Cypher. Bonneville/Cedar Fort, April 12. Suspense/thriller. Tanner Zane #3. “Yesterday in Panama, ten masked gunmen assassinated the vice president of the United States. With time running out as more government leaders are killed, it’s up to expert hacker Tanner Stone to crack the only clue the police have—a note written in ancient Mayan.”

Jennie Hansen, Meridian Magazine. 4 stars. “Though this story revolves around computer technology, the reader doesn’t have to be computer savvy or wade through technical jargon to understand what is happening. It is a tightly packed action suspense novel that will appeal to anyone who enjoys this genre. The characters feel genuine, the plot is compelling, and the capabilities and purpose of the computer systems used are fascinating. It’s like getting an insider’s glimpse of the NSA facility in Utah.”

JoAnn Arnold. The Buckskin Trail. Sweetwater/Cedar Fort, April 12. YA mystery/suspense. “When Kelzi discovers the truth about her parents’ deaths, she steps onto a dangerous path, one where she must avenge those who have died and protect the land of her Cherokee people—at any cost.”

Julie Berry. The Passion of Dolssa. Viking, April 12. YA historical fiction.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (Starred review): “The multiple points of view give completeness to the story, offering context for readers unfamiliar with the ties. As two people of faith, Lucien and DSossa offer startingly similar qualities: a devout and fervent belief in their God, the break in their faith when it seems to fail them, and an ultimate reconciliation, tough Dolssa finds hers through peace, and Lucien his through further violence. Botille offers an alternative to such faith: she does not know if she believes in God, but she believes in Dolssa and her goodness and that is enough for Botille. There’s a fair amount of setup before the threads of the story come together, but Botille’s narration immerses the reader in the warmth of her family, the beauty of the setting, and camaraderie of her community. This is a skillfully crafted and tenderly told story of faith and friendship tested.“

Publishers Weekly (Starred review): “When Botille Flasucra finds Dolssa de Stigata lying on a riverside close to death, she takes the stranger to her family’s tavern. Botille, a young matchmaker, and her sisters nurse Dolssa back to health in secret—a Dominican friar obsessively hunts Dolssa, whom he condemned as a heretic to be burned at the stake. The year is 1241 in Provensa (now Provence), where the aftereffects of the Albigensian Crusade have led to an inquisition meant to rid the Christian world of heretics. Dolssa, however, feels called to heal the sick in the name of her beloved Jhesus, and her miracles eventually bring danger to the small town of Bajas. Berry again delivers an utterly original and instantly engrossing story. Drawing from meticulous historical research (highlighted in extensive back matter), she weaves a tense, moving portrait of these two teenage girls and their struggle to survive against insurmountable odds. Love, faith, violence, and power intertwine in Berry’s lyrical writing, but Botille’s and Dolssa’s indomitable spirits are the heart of her story.”

SLJ (Starred review): “When the two young women cross paths, both deep friendship and mortal peril await them. A beautifully rendered portrait of a little-known portion of history, this work is a meticulously researched piece of fiction. Yet it is not just in the accurate details that the novel shines. The strength and humanity of the almost entirely female set of characters are inspiring and well drawn. The panic and suspicion of post-Inquisition France is omnipresent, giving the story of a supposed heretic a constant edge of danger. As the novel slips in and out of magical realism, readers will be transported into Dolssa and Botille’s world. VERDICT An expertly crafted piece of historical fiction, Berry’s latest is a must for middle and high school libraries.”

Booklist (Starred review): “Publishers say that historical fiction is a hard sell, and books with religion at their core are few and far between. Kudos, then, to Berry for creating a sweeping saga that not only deeply entwines both but also dissects its characters’ humanity as it looks at the often troubling beliefs that underlay their actions.”

Horn Book (Starred review): “Berry constructs her novel as a 1290 account by a monk, and employs both first- and third-person narrations — from Botille to Dolssa to the vengeful Dominican Friar Lucien who pursues Dolssa, and more. If this makes the reading experience choppy at times, it doesn’t matter: Botille’s spirited, down-to-earth character and style, the heart-rending suspense of the events she relates, and the terrifying context of the Inquisition in medieval Europe all render the novel irresistibly compelling. So too does the female solidarity Berry portrays among Botille and her sisters (tavern-keeper and fortuneteller) and their loyalty to the woman they rescue. Berry writes in short sentences with relatively simple language, conveying complex historical and religious matters fluently and accessibly for today’s readers. Her thoughtful, sober historical note places the story’s thirteenth-century issues in a valuable modern context.”

Kirkus: “A girl matchmaker in 13th-century southern France meets a mystic on the run from the Inquisition. The slow build reveals Botille as a compelling, admirable young woman in a gorgeously built world that accepts miracles without question. The medieval Languedoc countryside is so believably drawn there’s no need for the too-frequent italicized interjections in Old Provenзal that pepper the narrative. Immersive and mesmerizing.”

Ann Cannon, Salt Lake Tribune. “Every now and then a new young-adult novel appears that startles readers with its breathtaking originality. “The Passion of Dolssa” by Julie Berry fits into this category . . . The beauty of this lush, intelligent book is that it convincingly portrays life in medieval Europe while also providing insight into contemporary experience.” [Also includes an interview with Berry.]

Deseret News feature story. Radio interview about The Passion of Dolssa.

Marilyn Brown. The Accidental Goodbye. Walnut Springs Press, April 4. Historical. “When an exciting stranger named Brooker Rose arrives in Mercur, Utah, in 1902, he fiddles his way into Cecily McKinsey s heart. But townspeople start to suspect him as he discovers gold in an abandoned mine whose owner is missing. Tongues begin wagging, not only against Brooker, but about others even Cecily s father. The dark rumors that creep into the model community so severely damage its spirit that one is not surprised at the eruption of violence at a card game, or the threat of hanging. And when a grease fire in a restaurant spreads rapidly through the town, residents quickly don as many hats and clothes as they can and swarm up the hill to take the train to safety. Cecily, who sometimes explores her feelings about life through her imagination, tries to make sense of her world that seems to be plummeting toward disaster. As she leaves Mercur, which she lovingly refers to as Sweet Pie, she searches for some sign of redemption. Is the fire really an accident after all? And will she find the love she is longing for?”

Elana Johnson. Echoes of Silence. Kindle Press, May 3. Fantasy. “Twenty-three-year-old Echo del Toro doesn’t know about the bride-choosing festivities the tyrannical Prince of Nyth has planned–until she’s taken from her home by five armed soldiers. She’s led under the cover of a magically produced storm to an opulent compound to join hundreds of girls, each vying to be chosen as the next Queen of Nyth. As she plays the charade of falling in love with the Prince, Echo realizes three terrifying truths: He is hungry for her song-magic, he has a secret plot to dethrone his father, and he is not wholly unlikeable. Faced with the strongest dark magician in centuries, Echo must know when to let her voice fly and when to hold her tongue, or she’ll find herself caught in the lasting notes of a song that can’t be unsung.”

Lynne Larson. Loving Leah. Covenant, April 1. Civil War romance. “Caught in the middle of a massacre in Lawrence, Kansas, during the Civil War, Leah Donaldson, a twenty-year-old Mormon governess, must risk everything to save two children in her care—and she lives to pay dearly for the decision. Young Ethan Pace loves Leah and can hardly stay still as she is taken away by the enemy for refusing to reveal where he and his sister are hiding. Five years later, Ethan desperately searches for her, trying to reconcile all that has happened and grappling with his feelings for her. Still idealizing Leah, he hopes she has survived and that he can help her get to Zion and her people.” Second novel.

Katie W (3 stars). “The story is heartbreaking and hard to read at times, but has a light and hopeful feeling throughout most of it. It made me think back on my carefree summer days as a child. While mostly predictable, there are a few twists that I wasn’t expecting, especially toward the end. This would be an especially enjoyable read for those who like historical fiction and/or fictional stories about the Mormon pioneers.”

Jean Holbrook Matthews. Deseret Rain. Bonneville Books/Cedar Fort, April 12. Suspense/thriller. “Identifying her boss’s body at the morgue wasn’t on Lexi Benson’s to-do list. She’s never been the type to go after adventure, and besides, she’s just his executive assistant. But with LL’s wife out of town, Lexi’s the only one the police trust. But when mysterious incidents begin to threaten her life, Lexi realizes the murderer might be someone close to her. Now she’s on the run to save her own life! She’ll have to work together with the handsome detective to solve her mentor’s murder before she becomes the next victim.”

Jennie Hansen, Meridian Magazine. 4 stars. “Some of the violence in this story is a little on the graphic side, but most readers won’t find it offensive. The characters are believable, though Lexi takes some chances I’m not sure a smart woman would risk. The plot starts out on a high note and builds to a sudden dramatic climax. Written in first person, some readers may feel the usual frustration that goes with a mystery told in this manner since it’s a giveaway that the point-of-view character survives to tell the story.”

Adam Miller. Nothing New Under the Sun: A Blunt Paraphrase of Ecclesiastes. Self, April 23.

Rameumpton, Millennial Star. “I’ve noted how bleak the Preacher is. Adam, however, may have found the silver lining. He explains that while the Preacher does teach that there is “nothing new under the Sun” and that “all is vanity”, it is this very hopelessness that makes the book so important. Discussing the human desire to avoid hardships, pessimism, and crassness (all found in Ecclesiastes), he notes: “But the cost of avoidance is high. As Paul insists, in order to become Christian, we must first learn to be hopeless. Hopelessness is the door to Zion.” . . . As with his paraphrase of Romans, his short discussion on Ecclesiastes is followed by a powerful paraphrase of each chapter. In fact, he shares it twice, once as prose and the second separated by verse.

For anyone wanting to better understand this ancient work, and how it aptly applies to our materialistic world today, I highly recommend this book.”

Heather B. Moore. Love is Come. Mirror Press, April 1. Historical romance. Power of the Matchmaker, #4. Turn of the century NYC and Connecticut.

Jennifer Moore. Lady Helen Finds her Song. Covenant, March 15. Regency romance. “Spring 1813. The exotic splendors of India are legendary, and the colorful sights of her new home in Calcutta immediately captivate eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Poulter.”

Bloggin’ ‘bout Books. B-. “Like Moore‘s previous Regency romances, Lady Helen Finds Her Song is a sweet, upbeat love story.  Clean and compelling enough, it’s an easy read, one that worked well as a fluffy diversion between all the heavy psychological thrillers I’ve been devouring lately.  The novel requires little from the ole brain cells, as its plot is about as familiar and predictable as they come.  While its unique setting offers the tale a pinch of originality, nothing else really sets it apart.  I would have appreciated a few twists in the story as well as more complexity from the characters.  A number of typos pepper the book, which take away from the overall experience.  All in all, though, it is a nice, enjoyable read.”

Janci Patterson. Skipped. Self, Jan. 22. Self-published version of her 2012 novel Chasing the Skip.

Janette Rallison. The Girl Who Heard Demons. Kindle Press, March 29. YA paranormal. “Shy Adelle Hansen hears demons, but she’s determined to make friends at her new high school by keeping her ability secret. When she overhears supernatural voices celebrating the impending death of the school quarterback, Levi Anderson, she knows she has to do something to prevent it. However, the demons aren’t the ones plotting; they’re just celebrating the chaos, and Adelle must contend with earthly forces as well if she wants to preserve Levi’s life.”

Jennie Hansen. 5 stars. “Great story. Not creepy as the title suggests. I generally read and review adult fiction, but Rallison is a YA author I make an exception for.”

Liesl Shurtliff. Red: The True Story of Red Riding Hood. April 12. Knopf, April 12. Middle grade speculative. Her third fairy tale retelling/mash-up.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books. “This book suffers for its exhaustive and exhausting incorporation of mythical beings and other fractured fairy tales, and it strains under its insistence that Red and wolf share a spirit. Still, it’s hard to resist a fairy tale retold, and there’s enough cleverness and levity here for moments of real enjoyment. The imaginative spells, the twists on conventional plotlines, and Red’s determined, independent nature mean that this picnic basket may still worth unpacking.”

SLJ: “The third in Shurtliff’s collection of fairy tale-inspired spin-offs, Red takes readers on a wild roam through story land, with plenty of magic and danger around every corner . . . Shurtliff deftly weaves familiar characters and subplots into an original jaunt through the fairy tale genre. The protagonist is plucky and determined but unsure of her own powers of decision-making. Goldie, Red’s less-than-stellar sidekick, adds an innocence that Red lacks, as well as a perfect possible protagonist for a future installment. The dialogue between characters is contemporary and humorous. Every secondary character leaves a lasting impression on Red, setting up readers to anticipate each new encounter with dwarfs, sprites, or beasts. As moralizing as fairy tales can be, the author wisely lets Red make mistakes and draw her own conclusions. VERDICT This is pure fun for fans of classic stories cleverly retold.”

Kirkus: “The adventures are thrilling, even frightening, and, while good and bad magic abound, what is most heartening is how Red and Goldie grow and brave it all together, selflessly helping each other. Fairy-tale fun with resonant depth makes for another solid outing.“

Mindy, LDSWBR (5 stars). “RED is another winner for Liesl Shurtliff. I loved it, even more than I loved RUMP and JACK. Red is hands down, an amazing character. I loved her. It was enjoyable watching her grow up and learn about herself and learn her potential overcome her fears. I really loved Goldie too. She was very funny. I appreciated their gradual friendship, as Red was a hard one to win over. Liesl does an incredible job of character development, as Red was truly able to find herself in her own personal journey, as well as her adventure to help Granny. I really enjoyed the supporting characters too. Goldie, Borlen and his parents, and the Beast were awesome. My favorite was Wolf, I missed him when he wasn’t around. I loved the epilogue and I was teary at the end, especially with the last pages. The mix of different fairytales was very entertaining and I loved Liesl’s spin on them.”

Shawn Vestal. Daredevils. Penguin, May 5. Literary novel. Part of the novel is about people leaving Mormonism (both mainstream and polygamous) in the 1970s. Set in the polygamous communities of Short Creek, and in Idaho. Vestal was raised Mormon, but has left the Church. He has written using Mormon themes before. He won the 2014 PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for his collection of stories, Godforsaken Idaho.

Ann Cannon, Salt Lake Tribune. Interview. “Q: Various iterations of Mormon World play an important part in this novel. Why?

A: I grew up in a Mormon family in southern Idaho, and Mormonism has been a part of my life ever since. I’m no longer a member of the church, but I’ve gone through a lot of different periods in my attitudes toward and relationship with the church. In my story collection, “Godforsaken Idaho,” I began writing stories that were overtly related to Mormonism after years of avoiding the subject. What I discovered was that Mormonism was my language for speaking to so many things in life — faith, doubt, family, authority, spirituality, love — even though I’d left the church. I wrote some stories that reimagined some Mormon mythologies — one that retold the seagull story and one that delved into Joseph Smith’s years as a treasure hunter immediately before founding the church — and found that I was using my abandoned faith in a way that seemed rich with possibility, to me at least. The world of fundamentalist Mormonism and polygamy is far outside my own experience, but I’ve been interested in polygamy and its relationship to the mainstream church and its history for quite a while.”

PW: “Set during the transformative 1970s, Vestal’s vibrant, compelling first novel features a restless protagonist: Loretta, 15, who is resistant to her strict Mormon upbringing near Short Creek, Ariz., and is caught sneaking out to see her secret boyfriend, Bradshaw. Fearing that her “soul is in peril,” Loretta’s father marries her off to a devout fundamentalist and polygamist, Dean Harder, to become another mother to his ever-expanding brood of seven children. Her new role as sister wife and seminary student is repulsive to her, as she shares Dean with doting, God-fearing first wife Ruth, who is haunted by memories of when federal agents raided their encampment when she was young. Once the family relocates from rural Arizona to Idaho, Dean’s plucky teenage nephew Jason, an Evel Knievel devotee, recognizes Loretta as a girl who “doesn’t belong,” becomes enamored with her, and morphs into the ideal escape she needs, with a stash of gold along for kicks. The book is stocked with vivid characters, such as Jason’s best friend, Boyd, and Evel Knievel himself. Vestal has created a riveting, rollicking thrill ride about throwing caution to the wind.”

Ryan McIlvain, Los Angles Review of Books. “A remarkable first novel . . .. . . It’s a bravura passage in a novel brimming with them, runs of word-perfect sentences that burn themselves into your memory as if with a soldering iron. A little hard to believe, sometimes, that Vestal is a writer just out of the gate, but mostly it’s just exciting to watch such a talent unspool itself . . . The long coming-together of these two characters and plotlines can feel a little determined, a little processional and ordered in its approach, especially if the consistent excellence of Vestal’s prose has sent you back to the stories in Godforsaken Idaho with their spring and surprise. I’m inclined to chalk this orderliness up to the exigencies of the longer form: most novels need a steel-girded structure to keep the end from the beginning, and to keep us reading with pleasure, as we do here. As always, Vestal’s prose is wonderfully measured and cadenced throughout, with an unforced lyricism that knows just when to take flight. The day Jason and his grandfather sneak away to see the great Evel Knievel jump a local canyon is a day with “a skin around it, a membrane that might burst with the wrong word.” Below Knievel’s launch pad, “the cut basalt walls of the canyon turn back afternoon light at strange angles, silvered here, ashen there.” (Here again there are echoes of McCarthy, great poet of the western landscape.) The inside of a tractor is “oil-rank”; a morning stands in “frigid yellow light.” When Loretta and Jason and Jason’s friend Boyd finally escape to the open road, their first stop is Elko, Nevada, at a casino hotel where “fifty years of cigarettes and fried food haunt the air.” I could really go on. Perhaps my favorite moments in Daredevils are the ones that manage to hang briefly free of the plot’s gravity, that carve a new character facet or a new moment in time out of language. One such moment has Louis, Jason’s father, talking to the local deputy after his son has disappeared during the night. “Hafta wait forty-eight hours before we can do a thing,” the deputy says. This is a man who sometimes comes to church, an occasional supplicant in the congregation Louis shepherds, but when Louis sees him chewing gum — another onlooker chomping away on gum — “for that alone” Louis wants to climb over the counter and clock him.”

David G. Pace, 15 Bytes. “Vestal not only judiciously sets his story of religionists and misfits, pedophiles and imposters in the region (others have done that, including most recently David Kranes in his The Legend’s Daughter, also set in Idaho) but he makes no apology about informing all of it through the marrow-deep impulses of what is arguably the civilizing force of that region: the religion of Smith and Brigham Young. It’s as if Vestal has recovered the revelatory “peep stones” of the author’s childhood faith, thrown them into the bottom of a darkened hat, which Smith reportedly did, and then started writing: a gift to the general reader who knows little more about the country’s most “successful” indigenous religion than David Archuleta and HBO’s Big Love. Wisely, Vestal is first and foremost a skillful writer of authentic exposition and trenchant dialogue. His main character, Loretta, along with her “sister wife” Ruth, share a stinging grief, the younger woman’s based on her attempt to imagine the story of her young life under patriarchal faith, and the older woman’s based on the real event of the 1953 Short Creek raid of polygamists by Federal agents which left her, as a child, traumatized. But Vestal never allows the reader to believe that any of this arguably extreme communal behavior, saturated as it is with prophets and gold, endless prayers and “the ugly tether of family” exists anywhere other than on a cultural continuum with throat-slitting revelators on one end and the likes of Mitt Romney on the other . . . How Shawn Vestal in Daredevils navigates his charges through such a determined promised land as that is the stuff of one of the most propulsive, deeply interrogative novels of late.”

Kirkus (Starred review): “The 1970s, that most unjustly derided of decades, is evoked with intimate detail in this coming-of-age story set in an American West that is expansive with possibility yet constrained in imagination . . . Vestal, who established a reputation for depicting this physical and psychic terrain in his short-story collection, Godforsaken Idaho (2013), intersperses these incidents with funny, persuasively rendered monologues by Evel Knievel himself, speaking throughout as the wounded, embittered, and caustically eternal voice of anyone whose yearning to defy his or her own fate is thwarted as much by his or her own hubris as by fate itself. Vestal also leaves you with the funny feeling that this may not be the last we see of these thrill-seeking kids—or their would-be spoilsports. This debut novel captures the flailings and flights of hapless dreamers with prose that throbs like the strings of an electric bass playing its sad heart out in a near-desolate landscape.”

Library Journal: “The go-for-broke spirit of legendary daredevil Evel Knievel is with two Mormon teenagers as they try to break out of their rigidly structured . . . Vestal’s narrative is punctuated with imagined monologs from Knievel, raucous addresses that at first seem random but come by the thrilling conclusion to enrich the scope of this heartfelt and finely observed debut.”

John Michaud, Washington Post. “Vestal is a fine stylist. There’s not a clunky sentence in this book. His portrait of Mormon family life is commendable for its aversion to easy sensationalism or satire. But despite all these virtues, I came away from “Daredevils” wanting something more ambitious. A hint of what might have been is available in a pair of chapters in which a minor character recalls a federal raid on her fundamentalist Mormon community in the 1950s. This adult looking back on her loss of childhood innocence carried more gravitas than the rest of the novel, which is concerned with children looking forward to the liberties and fearing the compromises of the grown-up world.

Becky Wallace. The Skylighter. Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster, March 22. YA fantasy. Keeper’s Chronicle #2. Sequel to the AML YA Novel award winner.

SLJ: “This second installment picks up right where The Storyspinner left off. Johanna, with help from Rafi and Jacare, continues on her quest to restore the magical barrier, but things get complicated as she and Rafi explore their budding feelings for each other. Rafi’s brother Dom is left to handle the duties of duke at home in Santiago, which becomes dangerous as nearby fiefs move to draw their homeland into the looming war over the throne. Pira and Leгo are left searching for and rescuing each other while also trying to catch up with Jacare and Johanna. All the while, there are Keepers already on this side of the wall who will stop at nothing to keep Johanna and her allies from achieving their goal. Readers will be pleased with the continuation of the story of Johanna and the Keepers. This volume has more romance and clichéd dialogue than the previous entry, as well as Wallace’s page-turning action sequences. Multiple character perspectives continue with two new voices, which leads to surprising character development. VERDICT A compelling, unique world with Portuguese-inspired echoes of Patrick Rothfuss’s The Name of the Wind, this series is a must for fans of fantasy.”

Kirkus: “Short chapters and frequent battles should move the thin plot along, but contrived cliffhangers and constant shifts in point of view cause unnecessary repetitions of the same scenes. The novelty of a New World setting—flora and fauna indicate a Central or South American setting, and italicized vocabulary resembles Portuguese, suggesting Brazil—is lost under stereotypical pseudo-medieval European elements, ill-explained religion, troubling anachronisms (such as foxholes and improvised explosive devices), and weak worldbuilding. Melodrama and mindless violence make for a mediocre sequel.”

Michael D. Young. The Hunger. Future House Publishing, April 7. YA fantasy. “In a distant, war-torn land, every man, woman and child must either consume the magical substance known as Sustenance or succumb to the Hunger. Those who succumb develop deformities and face exile — or even death. The scholar Azil wants nothing more than to lead a tranquil life and beat back the Hunger. But when a mysterious assassin tries to kill Azil, and a stranger shows up at his door challenging him to join her on a quest, he embarks on a dangerous journey to steal the sacred gems of Sustenance guarded in a forbidden fortress. To get there, Azil must venture through a land of floating cities, ravenous mage wraiths, ax-wielding warriors, and bloodthirsty bandits.”

Reviews of older books

Michael Austin and Ardis Parshall, editors. The Mormons (Steve Evans, BCC). “Parshall and Austin have helpfully provided a very useful introduction to the book, including biographical information on John Russell, letters and works by Russell (which show some sensibility, if not empathy, for the experiences of the Mormons), as well as a brief timeline of the author’s life. As for the story itself, Russell pens a “narrative of real events” roughly based on the experiences of the Merrick family, some of whom were slaughtered at Haun’s Mill. Mary Maverick converts to Mormonism (despite the ‘absurdities’ of Joe Smith) and suffers at the hands of unjust Christians. It is a moving story, and while not exactly genre-busting for its time, it does display both compassion for Mormonism while remaining aloof from the faith claims of the religion. For those interested in how contemporary authors viewed the church of Joe Smith, The Mormoness is worth a look.” Austin recently talked about the book on The Cultural Hall podcast.

Charlie Holmberg. Followed by Frost (Rosalyn Eves). “Followed by Frost initially bears little resemblance to Holmberg’s popular Paper Magician trilogy–but like Holmberg’s other series, it has a meticulous world and a unique  magic system, with remarkable characters. The story reminded me of a gender-flipped Beauty and the Beast, with Smitha herself playing the beast . . . I’ll admit that I found parts of the beginning slow going: Smitha starts out quite unlikeable–selfish, proud, spoiled–and the early parts of her transition are not pretty. She feels sorry for herself, she pouts, she hides away from human company for a very long time. But I’m glad I stuck with the story, both because her encounters with Death were fascinating, but also because the love story that unfolds in the second half of the book was fantastic–my very favorite kind of heart-twinging, bitter-sweet pain.”

Valynne Maetani. Ink and Ashes (Rosalyn Eves) 4 stars. “My favorite part of this story was not, surprisingly, the thriller aspect (which is well-done and fast-paced), but the relationship between Claire, her family, and her friends. Maetani brings together a group of funny, quirky, individuals that you can’t help rooting for. I also loved the bits of Japanese culture woven throughout–Americanized Claire knows some of her cultural heritage, but not all of it, and as she learns more about her culture (and comes to appreciate its intricacies), the reader does too.”

Jolene Perry. Has to be Love. (Bloggin’ ‘bout Books) B-. “Despite its fanciful cover, Has to Be Love by Jolene Perry is not some fluffy YA romance.  It’s got a bite to it.  Clara is a good girl who’s battling grief, fear, uncertainty, and raging hormones as she tries to make some very adult decisions.  Her struggles with maintaining her religious standards—especially where it concerns her relationships with boys—will feel familiar to many teens.  As will her oscillating feelings over doing the safe, expected thing vs. risking her own security to take on a bold and scary challenge.  As authentic as Clara’s problems seem, though, her constant obsession with her scars and the ways in which she’s been victimized gets old fast.  It often makes her appear self-absorbed rather than sympathetic, which annoyed me to no end.  I have a few other complaints with Has to Be Love, but overall, I liked it.  The novel, which tells a compelling story peppered with original elements, also preaches some good lessons without feeling like a sermon.  Teens should find it both intriguing and relatable.

Jolene Perry. Has to be Love (Rosalyn Eves) 4 stars. “Things I loved about the book: the setting. There aren’t a lot of YA books set in Alaska, and I found the way Clara navigated her world fascinating. Clara’s religion: she’s Mormon, which you also don’t often find in mainstream YA novels. And while her religion isn’t a pivotal plot point, it informs who Clara is–particularly her very-real struggles between what her body wants and what she believes she ought to do. I loved too that the plot surprised me several times, particularly in terms of Clara’s relationships. It wasn’t at all what I expected. Mostly, I found the story so real: Clara is flawed and makes some dumb decisions, but she’s also a teenager and human and Perry does such a great job at capturing that messiness and uncertainty.  I found Clara’s story touching and thought-provoking, though I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for very young readers, as some of Clara’s relationship scenes are a little steamy (but not gratuitous–those scenes are critical to Clara’s development).”

Clair Poulson. Silent Sting (Jennie Hansen, Meridian Magazine). 5 stars. “This story includes a large cast of characters and it is sometimes a little difficult to keep them all straight. Some of the major characters’ personalities feel a little exaggerated, but overall, the characters are easy to relate to and several of the students, including Tiana, grow and mature through their ordeal. The use of the bees as an important device creates an aura of modern realism to the story as the agricultural world is presently concerned about the disappearance of bees and the use of drones is in current news headlines. The story is well-paced, moving quickly from one action sequence to the next and maintains a high suspense element throughout.”

Jenny Proctor. Love at First Note. (Kimberly Vanderhorst). 5 stars. “I just ENJOYED it, you know? I literally shook with laughter in places, and got all riled up and shouted at the characters in others. Overall, it’s a heart-warming, uplifting read, and I think the world could do with a lot more stories like this one.”

Mindy, LDSWR. 5 stars. “I am pretty sure I read this entire book with a big smile on my face. I loved it! I adored Emma right away, her humor and inner voice were so much fun. I really appreciated the gradual relationship that built between Emma and Elliott . . . There is so much more to this story than a fun romance (which it totally is, don’t get me wrong). The author does a fantastic job in showing Emma’s love for music. It made me want to go listen to some classical music. I could tell the author put her heart into researching. The book has an amazing feel about it. I was sorry to see it end, I would read and read without caring how late it was.”

Jennifer Quist. Sistering (Publishers Weekly). “Quist drops readers into the center of an intricate web of bonds among five adult sisters and into the minds of each of them as they narrate in turn. This approach allows readers to hear each sister’s thoughts about the others and the conversations among them. Quist clearly knows family and sibling dynamics, and she expertly shows the ways that the sisters support one another and aggravate one another at the same time. The story lines mostly involve the women’s relationships with one another or with their husbands or boyfriends, but a twist in one sister’s story involving the accidental death of her mother-in-law takes the book in an entirely different and almost absurd direction. Though the crisis strains believability, it serves to bring the sisters together, highlight the strength of their love for one another, and fuel the novel’s dark humor. This is a captivating story bound to resonate with readers who have sisters, and Quist’s sharp observations of human nature and sense for comedy will entertain a broader audience.”

Dan Wells. Bluescreen (Jessica Day George) 5 stars. “This is like early Neal Stephenson, with a dash of Ray Bradbury thrown in. So, you know, amazing. And as usual, Dan has managed to write fully fleshed characters, unique without being laboriously quirky. I loved Marisa, and that she liked to dress up and go clubbing and hook up with handsome boys and then never call them again. Oh, and she’s also an expert hacker. Oh, and she waitresses at her family’s restaurant sometimes. So, you know, she’s like a real person. As are her friends and neighbors. I loved the mystery, and the technology, and the food.”

Dan Wells. Bluescreen (Wm Morris) 3 stars. “Entertaining and fast moving with a diverse cast of characters and a few unique cyberpunk elements. The end doesn’t quite cohere and seems rushed. And fleshing out the overall world just a bit more could have provided more interesting context and help heighten what is at stake in the plot.”

Robison Wells. The Airships of Camelot (Rosalyn Eves). 4 stars. “Wells’ novel was a delightful twist on the Arthurian tales: a futuristic world where the U.S. was decimated by the Spanish influenza . . . The steampunk elements here were a lot of fun–who wouldn’t want to be part of an army of flying dirigibles? I thought Wells’ world was imaginative and believable, and the Arthurian nerd in me loved tracking the different iterations of Arthur’s knights (some of whom have become ladies in this version).”

Kasie West. The Fill-in Boyfriend (Rosalyn Eves) 4 stars. “While the other Whitney YA general finalists all have a certain level of emotional heft, Kasie West’s books are unabashedly fun, light reads . . . While I didn’t love this one quite as much as previous West books (if you haven’t read them, check them out!), it’s still a fun, clean, romantic read.”

Carol Lynch Williams. Never Said (Rosalyn Eves). “Williams’ writing has its own kind of spare beauty, and the story is quick-paced and engaging. I struggled a little at first to understand and like the sisters (particularly Annie), but as the story progressed I grew more and more connected to them. An interesting exploration of family secrets, body image, eating disorders and social anxiety.”

Theater

Doug Stewart and Lex de Azevedo. Saturday’s Warrior. SCERA Center for the Arts, Orem. April 15-May 7. Directed by Jeremy Showgreen.

Russell Warne, UTBA: “Director Jeremy Showgren chose to set the play in the mid-1990’s, an era halfway between the show’s debut and the present day. The change in time period doesn’t work completely, such as when Jimmy’s friends (led by Mack, played by Jacom Clarkson) are worked up over Malthusian concerns like overpopulation and running out of oil in “Zero Population.” As a child of the nineties, I can attest that these issues were not the major concern in that era, like they were in the early 1970’s when Doug Stewart wrote the script. But after the first third of the play these concerns melted away, and I realized that treating the show like a period piece emphasizes the timeless nature of the core themes: finding one’s identity, hoping for the return of the prodigal son, and the importance of “pulling together” as a family to make it through hard troubled times. Fans of the show will also appreciate the nuggets of humor that Showgren slipped into the stage business, several of which made both my wife and me laugh out loud. Showgren also ensured that the scenes clipped along well and made the sometimes stilted dialogue seem natural . . . Given its age and popularity, it is no surprise that Saturday’s Warrior has a reputation. And that reputation is for cheese. Though I had never seen the show before, I knew its reputation through brief glimpses of the 1989 video version aired on TV, the soundtrack my parents owned when I was young, and comments from other theatre people about how corny the play is. Yes, it has “Zero Population” and the “Daddy’s Nose.” Yes, it wears its heart on its sleeve. Yes, the play’s message may seem unsophisticated to the modern world. But Saturday’s Warrior is a great temporary antidote to the widespread cynicism, political polarization, and hostility towards tradition that is rampant in the world today. Although not a flawlessly polished production, the SCERA has a genuinely enjoyable version of this Utah classic.” Daily Herald feature story.

Film

Saturday’s Warrior. Box office: $467,140 in three weeks. 9, 28, 28 theaters.

Eric Samuelsen review. “There are a few new songs, mostly pretty good ones, and if older songs from the stage version have been cut, I didn’t miss them. The screenplay, by Buster and Heather Ravarino, has taken the original book, and with a few nips and tucks, trimmed and humanized it. Some characters are a bit more dimensional and interesting, and the Flinders’ family dynamic borders on believable. In other words, the inevitable changes needed to turn a stage musical into a movie were well conceived and executed, the music was generally well performed, and to the extent that Warrior works on stage, the movie worked better. I know; this is all pretty grudging praise. I went to the theater expecting to enjoy myself, wanting to enjoy myself, thinking that after 42 years, my issues with the text would have dissipated. This turned out not to be the case. I found it a depressing, dispiriting experience. I left the theater feeling, as I have felt previously, the profoundest alienation from my own culture . . . I was glad to see the house so full. I’m just not part of its audience. And that’s okay too.”

‪Derrick Clements‪’s reply to Eric: “Loved this review. As one who liked the movie, the criticisms you raise are ones that I completely get and respect. A few thoughts: 1. Wouldn’t the casting of Alex Boye suggest more than a baby step away from the pre-1974 fence sitter idea? ‪2. I think I read it — and this may also be influenced by very little contact with the material before the movie (I didn’t even know which songs were new) — as more transgressive. To me it’s hard to be adventurous and not feel transgressive in a culture that is so concerned with what is correlated or “true doctrine.” ‪3. I also thought of the valuing of big families to be more of a Flinders thing than a Mormon thing, though that also just be my experience with Mormonism as a young adult. My mom definitely had the experience similar to the flinders’, where she felt her choice of 6 kids was unwelcome at like, the grocery store, but among my peers in the church, I almost never encounter people expressing a desire to have a big family. I may not have a typical Mormon experience, or maybe things are changing? ‪4. Also, my childhood-long fear that I don’t like cool music came back while reading your comments about Zero Population: I suspect that you are completely right, and yet I find myself, a staunch liberal, humming it all the time. I do think that the lyrics throughout the whole movie could be much better, and more….nuanced? But the music is so catchy to me. ‪5. As you touch upon, the element of drugs in the story was a little superficial. Would that all addictions start and end so quickly as little jimmy’s. ‪Ok. Thanks for writing this. I very much enjoyed reading your thoughts. Ultimately, I find it so essentially moving that in this pre-existence, people would be so hopeful and excited about the future, only to come to earth and have things not go as they hoped. That hope feels so Mormon to me, and that reality check feels so unfortunately rarely considered or admitted.”

Lots of Mormons are involved in a newly announced independent comedy film, We Love You Sally Carmichael. The script was written by Daryn Tufts, and Tufts and David Nibley of Flinch Films will be the executive producers. Adam Abel is the producer, through his company Go Films. Ryan Little will be the DP. Christopher Gorham (who is not Mormon, but was the star of The Other Side of Heaven) will make his directorial debut with the film, as well as star in it. It shoots in Utah this summer. Gorham will portray an author who is ashamed to have secretly written an incredibly popular series of young adult romance novels that chronicle the epic love story between a human girl and a merman — all under the pen name, Sally Carmichael. When he is forced to meet a top box office star about the movie adaptation of a Sally Carmichael book, the author’s carefully built life of anonymity starts crumbling down around him.

AV Club interviews James Marsters (Spike from Buffy) about Dudes and Dragons.

Bestsellers

April 17, 24, May 1, 8

RaeAnne Thayne. Denim and Diamonds

PW Mass Market: #5, #4, #5, #8 (3 weeks). 12,970, 12,590, 9597, 7808 units. 42,965 total.

Christine Feehan. Dark Promises

PW Hardcover: #16, x, x, x (3 weeks). 2465 units. 16,700 total.

Brandon Mull. Death Weavers (Five Kingdoms)

PW Children’s: #24, x, x , x(3 weeks). 2215 units. 15,416 total.

Shannon and Dean Hale. The Princess in Black and the Perfect Princess Party

PW Children’s: x. x, #25, x (1 week). 2015 units.

NYT Children’s Series: x, x, #10, x (3 weeks)

James Dashner. The Maze Runner Series

NYT Children’s Series: x, x, x, #6 (177 weeks)

Liesel Shurtliff. Red.

NYT Middle Grade Hardcover: x, x, #9, x (1 week)