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tattedtrashreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This book is not for the faint of heart. It is deeply triggering and is depressing at times. The narration paints a grey setting with very few lighthearted points in the plot. It needs a heavy trigger warning. I need a much lighter read after this one 😅
Graphic: Death, Child abuse, Violence, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Abandonment, Murder, Pregnancy, and Domestic abuse
greenclovers75's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Grief, Abandonment, Death, and Murder
emma_ekb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
wowwwwwwww. i couldn’t put this book down. the story is essentially a critique of modern true crime narratives: the story of a serial killer, told primarily through the women who knew him or survived him.
other key themes/questions:
- what is the line between good and evil? can one person ever truly be just evil, or just good?
- nature v. nurture: how much does our past define our future?
- how do our individual choices affect the course of our lives and in turn, the course of history?
- what is justice? is achieving or finding justice even possible?
- how do we as a society treat victims?
- who remembers us when we’re gone? how can we be remembered without those who love us?
the author writes with such precision and poetry - i just love the way she describes things and how she seems to capture so many tiny details in so few words. more than anything, this book made me think.
Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, Stalking, and Murder
Minor: Alcoholism
savreads28's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Confinement, Child death, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Child abuse, Cursing, Gaslighting, Grief, Violence, Death, Sexual violence, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Mental illness, Rape, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
juliesleseecke's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Blood, Sexual content, Misogyny, Gore, Animal cruelty, Death, Grief, Racism, Sexual assault, Violence, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexism, Vomit, Animal death, Body horror, Murder, Child abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Sexual harassment
bps's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Child death, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Murder, Violence, Abandonment, and Child abuse
chiara_dose's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Abandonment
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Pregnancy
saucy_bookdragon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A gripping story that dives into the psyche of a killer and the women he impacted. It tackles questions around topics such as law enforcement and the death penalty with complexity. It’s a tragedy that constantly has the reader questioning the inevitability of it all and how should justice actually work.
The character work is the standout. Everyone has such strong motives and richness to them so that the themes aren’t abstract, they’re palpable problems the cast grapples with. A mother who had to destroy her family to save herself, a sister who knows something is wrong, and a police officer trying to create justice in an inherently broken, unjust system.
The choice to tell the killer’s chapters from second person was fascinating. By putting the reader in his shoes, it emphasizes the fact that humans are the ones who commit atrocities, not monsters. This does an exceptional job of making him complex and real while not downplaying any of his horrendous actions. It also makes the questions around justice that much more relevant.
Both empathetic and terrifying, Notes on an Execution surely had me making odd faces as I listened to the ending in public. No one aware that I was listening to something so mind bending.
Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Murder, Grief, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Sexism, Police brutality, Hate crime, and Racism
katiecentabar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.25
Graphic: Murder and Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Abandonment, and Animal cruelty
haileyeh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Confinement, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Death, Murder, Stalking, Violence, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Animal cruelty, Medical trauma, and Grief
Moderate: Medical content, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Car accident, Child death, Racism, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual content
Minor: Gore, Adult/minor relationship, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Vomit, Alcoholism, Islamophobia, and Alcohol