Dark Angel

I come from the salt-of-the-earth-farmer types, and was reared in a small UTAH town. We all were dedicated church goers, but were unafraid to use the occasional D word or H word...and not one of us will go to hell for it. My great-great-grandmother was a scrappy and ornery young girl who grew up defending herself against eight mean-spirited big brothers. Her journal entries are full of (mispelled) expletives that were hilarious to read,,,considering this was the late 1800's. This book could have been written about her. The story is engaging and the charactors are colorful! If you are uptight and overly pious and can't possibly conceive of a young girl in the 1800's using fairly innocuous swear words, then you never knew my ancestor, or the amazing pioneer she grew up to be...this book may not be for you. But anyone with a sense of humor and who doesn't take themselves too seriously, or impugn those who see the humor in kirby's books, will get a real kick out of this extraordinary and touching portrayal of early Mormondom...

This is absolutely one of my all time favorite books. I read it when it was first published when I was a teenager and I just identified with the main character, Rose. She is a tomboy with a fiesty, irreverant personality and an uncouth sense of humor, but that is a huge part of why I love her. So if you are easily offended then probably pass because you may label it as "trash" but THIS BOOK IS A GEM. The characters are great! I recommend it to friends all the time and I read it over and over. I love it, my husband liked it, my girlfriends loved it and so did my brother- so men and women alike will enjoy it.

I was lucky enough to be given this book by the author himself after finally fessing up to being a big fan of this other writings. I was completely surprised to read this thoughtful and well-plotted book, having first not known about it though being a fan, plus everything I had read by him before was of the humorous slant. Anyway, once I started reading I was hooked and read straight through until finished in practically the same day. In response to some of the negative reviews here, I do have to share that his dedication included "close your eyes during the bad parts" :)

This story takes place in a small Mormon community where the characters deal with a number of small-town issues. The story develops around a mysterious Civil War vet who rescues the storyteller and affects her family in a number of ways. The story is well-put together, the writing is excellent. The author's style and skill are refreshing without putting down the reader or bringing in foolish and unbelievable elements. The story is more than a simplistic formula western.

How can a guy in his 40s write from the perspective of a 12 year old girl in the 1860s? I don't know, but Robert Kirby does it, and he does it convincingly and very well. This is nothing like the collections of columns in other Kirby and Bagley books. It is fiction, somewhat loosely based on historical events (at least the times and some names), and it is entertaining and well-written. I had no idea that Kirby was a good author as well as a wry observer of life with a sharp and clever wit. An engaging and thoughtful story that was worth reading.