Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann | Book Review

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann is a non-fiction account of the mysterious mass murders of many wealthy Osage tribe members by their white neighbors and “friends” in Oklahama in the 1920s. It is the inspiration for the 2023 film by Martin Scorsese under the same name, starring Lily Gladstone, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Robert De Niro.

Lily Gladstone made history as the first indigenous actor to win the Golden Globe for best female actor in a motion picture – drama in 2024. She delivered part of her acceptance speech in her native language, Blackfeet, and it gives me all the feels.

My Rating for Killers of the Flower Moon

Genre: Nonfiction ; Length: 416 pages

This is my first non-fiction book review on Flour & Fiction and I realized I really miss reading non-fiction! So, today, I’m Flour & [non]Fiction, and I’m here to say…

Killers of the Flower Moon was an excellent book – heavily researched and highly readable. I gave it 5 stars because it exposes the truth behind an appalling time in American history that I think is really important to read about. Plus, it tells this history of the Osage nation in an engaging and interesting way. I can’t wait to read more non-fiction like this!

I actually saw the movie before reading the book, and both were 5 stars! Keep reading to see my review, where I discuss the merits of both, and which one I liked better.

Synopsis

Killers of the Flower Moon explores the history of the Osage Nation and the systematic murders of their tribespeople for their wealth. In the late 1800s, The Osage Nation encompassed regions in present-day Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. By the 1920s, their territory was reduced to one county in present-day Oklahoma due to increased European settlements and the Osage Allotment Act.

After striking oil in Osage county, members of the Osage tribe were the richest people per capita in the world. They enjoyed chauffeured cars, mansions, and wealth that their Oklahoman neighbors could only dream of. Then, one by one, the Osage began to be killed off.

An Osage woman, Mollie Burkhart, and her family were prime targets. Her sisters and mother were suspiciously killed in a short period of time. Many non-natives tried to cash in on Osage wealth by marrying into wealthy families with mineral headrights. Slowly, more and more Osage turned up dead, under mysterious circumstances.

As the death toll rose, Mollie begged for the federal government to step in. J. Edgar Hoover, the director of the newly created FBI, partnered with former Texas Ranger, Tom White to investigate the case. What they found was a chilling conspiracy of prejudice and greed.

My take on Killers of the Flower Moon

Spoiler Alert!!!

Killers of the Flower Moon opens by explaining the history of the Osage Nation, including changes to their territory, U.S. government-institutionalized starvation, and stolen land over many years. This sets the scene for the disestablishment of the Osage reservation and tribal government and the subsequent systematic murders for oil money.

My first thought was that this harrowing history was really triggering to read about during the war in Gaza. We are witnessing the reality of Israel’s government-sanctioned occupation, land reduction, forced displacement, starvation, and genocide in the present day.

It was really hard to read about, but I thank David Grann for telling this important story. It is so well-researched – the bibliography is over 100 pages (if I recall). The fact that this story was made into a movie, won awards, and became so popular is good news. It means people are listening.

What’s Better: Killers of the Flower Moon, the Book or the Movie?

Definitely the book.

The movie was told very differently from the book. It followed chronological order so you get to witness an origin story of Earnest Burkhart (Mollie’s husband, played by Leonardo DiCaprio). It really focused on William Hale (Earnest’s Uncle, played by Robert De Niro) and Earnest himself, while Mollie (played by Lily Gladstone) comes in later.

Because it’s told from Hale and Earnest’s points of view, you can easily see that they are the perpetrators of the Osage murders the entire time. You are let into their private meetings where they plot several murders. Its so chronological and premeditated that you get the impression that the reason Earnest married Mollie in the first place was to kill her family and steal her wealth.

The book is told more from either Mollie’s or a neutral point of view. I liked that it started with Mollie’s sister, Anna’s disappearance. Her body is later found by a ravine, with a bullet through her head. You don’t immediately know who the perpetrator is; Hale and Earnest haven’t been introduced yet. Then, the narration backtracks and reveals the connection between multiple murders.

As far as Mollie and Earnest’s relationship, the book gives you the impression that their marriage was based on love, not oil lust. When the book opens, they are already married, so you don’t get to see how their relationship started.

Mollie and Earnest’s Love

I think the biggest debate in Killers of the Flower Moon the film, is whether or not Earnest loved Mollie. He does terrible things to her, including orchestrating the bombing of her sister’s home and poisoning her. Yet, you still somehow get the feeling that he loved her. (I think the answer is no, because you just don’t poison a person that you love.) But the way Leo gave complexity to this character is amazing.

The book describes the scene when Earnest is finally arrested for his crimes. Contrary to William Hale, Earnest doesn’t seem like a cold-hearted killer:

On June 1926, Burkhart was sentenced to life imprisonment and hard labor… A prosecutor said that he was now someone “whose mind is at ease because he has relieved his tortured soul of a terrible secret and now seeks repentance and forgiveness.” Before being led away in irons to the state penitentiary, Burkhart turned and smiled wanly at Mollie. But her expression remained impassive, perhaps even cold.

Killers of the Flower Moon, by David Grann

Conclusion

While I would give 5 stars to both Killers of the Flower Moon, the book and the movie, I preferred the book overall.

The book went into more detail on the history of the Osage as well as Cherokee and other nations. It discussed bison hunting, boarding schools, land allotment, rations, land purchases, and several ways the U.S. government screwed over native people. Even after the Osage purchased their own territory and made money off the oil underneath it, they still had to have local white guardians oversee their spending because the government deemed them incompetent.

It just gave a more complete picture of the horrendous treatment of native people at the time. The book was also more centered around Mollie’s experience and the several other families who were victims of these killings.

Killers of the Flower Moon, the film, was told in a more narrative way, so it definitely had the entertainment factor. Whether you see the film, read the book, or both, you can’t go wrong.

If you’d like to read more books about Native American experiences, try our list of books by Native American authors.

Recommended Reading

If you liked Killers of the Flower Moon, you may also like: