Riders of the Purple Sage Zane Grey

I couldn't resist the challenge to read and review a Western - I don't think I've ever read one before! I chose the prototypical "Riders of the Purple Sage" - a good read for a rainy Saturday. Grey's settings are superb - from heroine Jane Withersteen's Cottonwoods rangeland to western canyons which brought back memories of Canyon de Chelly. The characters are less developed, and run to stereotypes - brave range riders, personified by Lassiter and Venters, save worried females Jane and Bess from (surprisingly) evil Mormons who want to take Jane's inherited lands and subject women to Mormon patriarchy. (The introduction to the Modern Library Classic edition explains the anti-Mormonism prevalent in 1912, the year the book was published.) A surprising ending caps the mounting suspense of this lively tale. All in all, I'd recommend it, particularly for its evocative descriptions of western scenery. Reviewed by: Francesca B.