The Blood of Others
The Blood of Others is a compelling retelling of the aftermath of the 1857 Mountain Meadows Massacre in Utah. The story is told through the eyes of Malachi, a 15-year-old Shoshone boy owned by a Mormon family, who inadvertently witnesses the massacre. His life changes forever when he realizes how dangerous it is to know the truth about what he saw. Through Malachi, Eleson explores what it means to survive on the margins: enslaved, isolated, and burdened with a secret that could get him killed.
Eleson’s careful research and clear writing style blend history and fiction effectively. Malachi exists on the fringes of his society; he has few friends he can trust and a ruthless cousin who uses violence against him to prove his own loyalty to the Mormon men. Because Malachi can only gather information through overheard conversations and instructions, the reader feels his sense of isolation. Through this limited but powerful perspective, Eleson captures the mounting tensions within the Mormon community and their broader conflict with the US government.
Altogether, the novel paints a vivid picture of the precariousness of Malachi’s survival while exploring the heavy complexities of staying silent. Despite the violence and tragedy at its core, this is an absorbing and rewarding read for those interested in the darker corners of frontier history.
