(4 / 5) – Worth It!
It’s a great day when you are reading a nonfiction book and you have to remind yourself that yes, this actually happened. It is a rare author who can weave the facts, dates and research of a story into what feels like fiction.
David Grann in his award winning book, “Killer of the Moon Flower,” offers just such a tale of intrigue, mystery and lingering ripples of influence on our modern life. “Killer of the Moon Flower” tells the story of the Osage murders that took place in Osage County, Oklahoma in the early 20th century. In the midst and aftermath of these murders the FBI, as we know it today, was formed and these deaths, many left unsolved and unsolvable highlight the legacy of exploitation, removal and genecide that is the colonizers’ relationship to indigenous people.
Grann takes the reader through three distinct viewpoints, those of the Osage community as they live through this life threatening experience, the officials who attempt to solve these murders and lastly from his perspective as the journalist researching and attempting to put these pieces together 100 years later and discover their lasting influence on families, communities and institutions alike.
I was blown away by this story that I did not know about and the way in which Grann is able to weave this narrative makes it an engaging read as I was offered new information and historical context for indigenous communities in Oklahoma, the FBI and the enduring legacy of the United States’ value of the dollar. A great read all around!
Happy Reading!
Hannah
