You Are Here: A Novel

by David Nicholls
You Are Here: A Novel cover
Good Books rating 4.0
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  • ID: 4725
  • Added: 2025-10-21
  • Updated: 2025-12-30
  • Formats: 3
  • Reviews: 4
Reviews
northshire.com · Unknown · 2025-10-22
engaging 4.50

The book provides an engaging and well-written historical analysis of the Mormon Church and its tenets, exploring religious fanaticism. It delves into the lives of the Lafferty brothers and their murderous actions, offering a fascinating investigation into the history of the movement and the polygamous FLDS sect.

Jon Krakauer's book is praised for its exciting and hard-to-put-down narrative, particularly appealing to those with a Mormon background. It offers another perspective on the Church, focusing on the polygamous FLDS sect and the Lafferty brothers' actions. The book is described as an engaging and well-written historical analysis, providing insight into religious fanaticism. It explores the lives of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, questioning the wisdom of following their teachings. The book is seen as significant, especially in the context of presidential elections, highlighting the dangers of unquestioning religious devotion.

Quick quotes

    Jon Krakauer's book was exciting and hard to put down.

    An engaging and well-written historical analysis of the Mormon Church and its tenets as well as an exploration of religious fanaticism generally.

    It was a significant book in 2003 and even more so now as we approach another presidential election.

barnesandnoble.com · Unknown · 2025-10-22
fascinating 4.50

The book is a fascinating and disturbing exploration of religious extremism, focusing on a brutal murder committed by Mormon Fundamentalist brothers. It provides a deep dive into the history and beliefs of the Mormon religion, including its ties to polygamy and the current status of the LDS church.

The book is a gripping and unsettling read that delves into the dark side of religious extremism. It centers around the brutal murder committed by the Lafferty brothers, who claimed divine revelation as their motive. The narrative is both chilling and enlightening, offering a detailed account of the Mormon religion's history and its offshoot sects. The descriptions of the Lafferty family and their beliefs are particularly striking, highlighting the dangers of myopic groupthink and fundamentalist ideologies. The book also explores the personal journey of DeLoy Bateman, a fundamentalist who struggles with leaving the church, providing a humanizing perspective amidst the disturbing content. The later chapters raise thought-provoking questions about the line between insanity and religious belief, challenging the reader's preconceived notions.

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    The scenes about the murder were hard to read. It was very detailed in the description and the brutality of it was jarring.

    I learned a lot in this book about the current LDS church and the offshoot sects that exist and Krakaur did a great job of not making it feel like a history lesson while teaching me so much.

    The later chapters that questioned the line between insanity and religious belief were really fascinating to me.

lapl.org · Unknown · 2024-08-27
mixed 3.00

The review discusses the FX series adaptation of Jon Krakauer's book 'Under the Banner of Heaven', highlighting its uneven narrative and scattered storytelling. While the performances are strong, the series struggles to balance its multiple timelines and characters, ultimately failing to capture the depth of the original book.

The FX series 'Under the Banner of Heaven' attempts to adapt Jon Krakauer's comprehensive book into a six-episode format, but the result is a patchy narrative that struggles to maintain focus. The series introduces a new detective character, Jeb Pyre, played by Andrew Garfield, who investigates the murder of Brenda Lafferty. The show weaves together multiple timelines, including the early days of the Mormon church and the present-day investigation, which leads to a disjointed and confusing narrative. The performances, particularly by Wyatt Russell as Dan Lafferty, are strong, but the series fails to delve deeply into the characters or the themes of the book. Instead, it gets bogged down in trying to create a heavy mood and manage too many storylines, ultimately falling short of the mark set by the original book.

Quick quotes

    The author Jon Krakauer’s sweeping 2003 book Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith could be called, in today’s vernacular, true crime+. It is both a look into a particular murder — that of a young Mormon woman and her daughter, at the hands of her brothers-in-law — and a survey of the Mormon church’s entire troubled, sensational history.

    The show gets more scattered as it goes, having trouble juggling (and distinguishing) its array of characters.

    At its best, Under the Banner of Heaven is a suitable supplement to the book. On its own, though, the series is oddly glancing.

bookclubs.com · Unknown · 2024-05-28
compelling 4.00

Jon Krakauer's 'Under the Banner of Heaven' explores the dark side of Mormon fundamentalism through the chilling story of the Lafferty brothers, who committed murder based on divine revelation. The book delves into the psychological and historical roots of religious violence, drawing parallels with global terrorism and raising questions about faith and fanaticism.

Jon Krakauer's 'Under the Banner of Heaven' is a gripping exploration of faith-based violence within the obscure world of Mormon fundamentalism. The narrative centers around the horrific 1984 murders committed by the Lafferty brothers, Dan and Ron, who believed they were acting on divine orders. Krakauer provides a deep dive into the brothers' mindset, the historical context of Mormon fundamentalism, and the broader implications of religious extremism. The book subtly draws parallels between the Lafferty brothers and Islamic terrorists, prompting readers to reflect on the drivers of fundamentalism and the thin line between religious zeal and insanity. Krakauer's powerful storytelling and meticulous research make this a compelling read for those interested in the intersection of faith, violence, and history.

Quick quotes

    Krakauer provides enough raw material for a seminar on post-9/11 questions.

    What drives people toward fundamentalism, and then toward violence?

    By setting Mormon fundamentalism in its historical and scriptural context, and by powerfully illuminating Dan Lafferty's mind, Krakauer provides enough raw material for a seminar on post-9/11 questions.

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