I read Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer in June 2023, but it wasn’t the kind of book I could read straight through. It was heavy. Not just because of the story, but because of the weight of the questions it asked about faith, extremism, and how far belief can be stretched before it breaks.

This was American history I wasn’t prepared for. Disturbing, deeply researched, and painfully honest. There were moments when I had to close the book physically, step away, and take a breath. I found myself both fascinated and emotionally unsettled, not by the facts alone, but by how easily ideology can become justification for violence.

Krakauer’s writing is clear and unflinching. He doesn’t offer easy answers. He simply presents the facts, the history of Mormon fundamentalism, the 1984 murders of Brenda and Erica Lafferty, and the long thread that ties religion, power, and patriarchy together.

What was hardest to sit with wasn’t just the brutality, but the quiet moments leading up to it. The rationalizations. The blind spots. The way personal faith can, in certain circumstances, spiral into something dangerous.

This wasn’t an attack on faith, and I don’t think Krakauer meant it to be. It was, instead, a stark reminder of how important it is to question, examine, and understand what we believe and why we believe it.

I didn’t finish Under the Banner of Heaven quickly. It asked too much of me to rush through it. But I’m glad I stayed with it. It changed the way I think about history, religion, and the stories we tell ourselves in the name of truth.

Buy Under the Banner of Heaven on Bookshop.org. I love supporting indie bookstores!