Kingdom Come

Kingdom Come follows Danish-American Mormon settlers in 1860s Utah Territory as they establish new lives in a challenging frontier environment. The story centers on David Goldstein, a Jewish peddler who arrives in the settlement and develops connections with the community. The narrative tracks the interactions between David and the Mormon townspeople as they navigate cultural differences, religious beliefs, and the practicalities of frontier survival. Daily life, commerce, and social dynamics in the isolated settlement come into focus through David's outsider perspective. The book examines questions of faith, belonging, and cultural identity in 19th century Mormon country. Through its portrayal of an outsider encountering a closed religious community, the novel explores themes of acceptance, prejudice, and the complex relationship between individual conviction and group solidarity.

Readers describe Kingdom Come as a nuanced portrayal of Mormon pioneer life in Utah, focused on relationships and cultural tensions rather than religious doctrine. Positive reviews highlight: - Rich character development, especially of women characters - Accurate historical details about 1890s Utah life - Balanced portrayal of Mormon and non-Mormon perspectives - Strong sense of time and place Common criticisms: - Slow pacing in the middle sections - Too many characters to track - Some find the ending unsatisfying From online ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (48 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (12 ratings) Notable reader comments: "Captures the complexity of a divided frontier community" - Goodreads reviewer "Characters feel like real people making difficult choices" - Amazon review "The writing brings 1890s Utah vividly to life" - LibraryThing review A reviewer on Goodreads notes this is "more focused on human drama than religious debate," which some readers appreciated while others wanted more emphasis on Mormon theology.

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🌟 Virginia Sorensen based many elements of "Kingdom Come" on her own Mormon upbringing in Utah, drawing from personal experiences and family stories. 🏔️ The book's rich descriptions of Utah's landscape and pioneer settlements were influenced by Sorensen's extensive research into 19th-century Mormon journals and historical documents. 📚 "Kingdom Come" won the Child Study Association Children's Book Award in 1960, marking it as one of the first mainstream books to sensitively portray Mormon culture for young readers. 🎨 The original illustrations were created by Utah artist Franz Johansen, who later became known for his religious sculptures and artwork throughout the western United States. 👥 The protagonist's struggle between community expectations and personal desires reflects a common theme in Sorensen's work, which often explored the complexities of belonging to a tight-knit religious community while maintaining individual identity.