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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
I like to listen to a truecrime novel- it’s like a podcast without ads or episode breaks- but this one was pretty boring. Repetition of the disgusting fasting practices and disturbing side effects made my stomach turn and while I hoped for a REASON this “doctor” was so obsessed with fasting, I didn’t really get any information or background on her. The trial was interesting, and I sympathized with the victims… one of my favorite deep dive genres is people who investigate wellness trends, so this historical take on an issue still quite prominent was a good crossover for me, but overall this book just isn’t really well done IMO. I like Gregg Olsen, but personally I wouldn’t recommend this one.
**** I received this book as an ARC free audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
As this book has been available in print and ebook I will start with the audiobook narrator. Her voice was very easy to listen to. It fit the story and was easy to hold my attention.
If you are a fan of true crime then this story of a doctor who starved her patients to death will interest you. She took advantage of those who were from other countries and who had great sums of money. This books talked about what happened and takes you all the way through the trial.
As this book has been available in print and ebook I will start with the audiobook narrator. Her voice was very easy to listen to. It fit the story and was easy to hold my attention.
If you are a fan of true crime then this story of a doctor who starved her patients to death will interest you. She took advantage of those who were from other countries and who had great sums of money. This books talked about what happened and takes you all the way through the trial.
I was so intrigued by the story. It may not have been the most impressive writing style, but the story was so interesting, that it didn't matter.
For the first 180 pages, I just couldn't put it down. The change of focus happens at odd moments but is written fairly well.
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
I feel like this could have been significantly pared down.
This book could have been so much better. It had all the right elements. Unfortunately, the author made some poor choices when writing the book. Most of the main story happened all up front. If the author had started by delving right into the main heart of the story and then giving us some back story and then going back and balanced it a little better it might have worked better, and it was clear that was what the author had tried to do. However the most interesting parts were ALL in the beginning, then some fairly interesting but unnecessary in-depth back story, then page after page after page of trial and a story that goes nowhere.
I like reading about local history and it was startling what this woman was doing and how long she got away with it, but the book just doesn't deliver. The author also stuck some local residents' recollections at the end of the chapters, but they didn't connect to the time period that was the main focus of the book and ultimately contributed very little. Also, I felt what the book was truly lacking was an in-depth analysis of Linda Hazzard, the woman doing this to people in the first place.
I like reading about local history and it was startling what this woman was doing and how long she got away with it, but the book just doesn't deliver. The author also stuck some local residents' recollections at the end of the chapters, but they didn't connect to the time period that was the main focus of the book and ultimately contributed very little. Also, I felt what the book was truly lacking was an in-depth analysis of Linda Hazzard, the woman doing this to people in the first place.
So disjointed I couldn’t keep track of time. Why did Uncle Herbert never discuss the girls’ health with Margaret? I expected this to have a flow more like a novel, but it definitely reads as non-fiction. And not the best example of that genre either. Save yourselves time and read the article in Smithsonian Magazine instead.
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
No rythm to speak of, an old-fashioned voice that to me simply didnt work, tons of repetitions and useless details... I mean, yo take such an interesting story and turn it into such a boting book is really sad.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced