I read this because Zane Grey was my paternal grandfather's favorite writer. Or so I'm told. He passed away before I was born and I thought that maybe I could connect with him a little by reading a book he loved. I read somewhere that Riders of the Purple Sage was the western that established many of the tropes used in subsequent western novels and movies.

Mormon men are the bad guys in this novel, specifically the Mormon elders. Mormon women are long suffering and the spirited ones are marked to be "broken." Good men are the ones who treat animals, women, and children with kindness and respect. There are some beautiful scenes, some hokey scenes, and lots of problems that could have been avoided had people spoken up sooner, but, overall, I think it's a good story that explores the abuse of power and religion. I just don't know if many modern readers would have the patience to read it through unless they're interested in western literature.