Reviews tagging 'Trafficking'

The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold

49 reviews

caribbeangirlreading's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Classism, and Sexism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Death, Murder, and Trafficking

gabriella_brown's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

This book is a beautifully written and angry exploration of the lives of the women murdered by Jack the Ripper. It de-bunks common misconceptions about the victims and gives an intelligent insight into their experiences as working class women in Victorian London.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Child death, Classism, Death, Misogyny, Death of parent, Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

Minor: Pregnancy, Trafficking, and Suicide

tiernanhunter's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Violence, Abandonment, Abortion, Child abuse, Child death, Infertility, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Trafficking, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Miscarriage, War, Classism, Death, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Sexual harassment, Blood, Grief, Infidelity, Addiction, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Terminal illness, and Mental illness

librarymouse's review against another edition

challenging informative sad medium-paced

4.5

This is a sincere and well-researched account of the lives of the five women killed by Jack the ripper. Hallie Rubenhold ensures their legacies with her diligent research and her focus on the lives of the women, over their gruesome and mythologized deaths. In contextualizing the sexual climate of the Victorian era, Rubenhold offers a vivid image of the nuanced worlds these women lived in, often so different from the straight laced Victorian England canonized today.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Dementia, Miscarriage, Sexism, Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Grief, Infidelity, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Police brutality, Alcoholism, Trafficking, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Forced institutionalization

Minor: Incest

oceanwriter's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

4.0

Behind Jack the Ripper is the lives of his victims. Given the illusiveness of this particular killer, the women he slayed tend to be swept aside. This book gives them a voice.

Each section of the book discusses each woman: Polly, Annie, Elisabeth, Kate, and Mary Jane. We learn about their lives leading up to their murders rather than the murder themselves. Along with the story of their lives, the author provides a detailed history of life in England at the time. 

I was initially surprised by the fact Jack the Ripper was hardly mentioned, but I think I ultimately enjoyed the book more because of it. It was incredibly insightful and put a lot of things in perspective. I will say that this was about 60% general history and 40% the five women. While interesting, this did cause the narration to drag at times. It’s worth wading through the slow bits. There is a lot to take in. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Infertility, Child death, and Miscarriage

Minor: Trafficking

pedanther's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Classism

Moderate: Murder, Alcoholism, Suicide, Child death, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Trafficking, Physical abuse, Grief, and Infidelity

Minor: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Antisemitism, Mental illness, Abandonment, Forced institutionalization, Rape, and Terminal illness

nieva098's review against another edition

emotional informative sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Addiction, Miscarriage, Alcoholism, Child death, and Grief

Minor: Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Death of parent, Infidelity, Sexual harassment, Classism, Medical trauma, and Sexism

isleofwoman's review against another edition

dark informative sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Domestic abuse, and Murder

Minor: Trafficking

amelia_douglas's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Misogyny, Trafficking, Death, Alcoholism, and Addiction

Moderate: Medical content, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Medical trauma, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Sexual assault and Miscarriage

bthkly's review against another edition

informative sad medium-paced

5.0

As a history teacher I sought out this book to help with subject knowledge surrounding the GCSE history course. I came away with a much more valuable reflection on the lives of women in the 19th century and the misconceptions we may hold about the past due to still present social attitudes. Opens your eyes to the reality of the case and refocuses attention on the people who should matter in the story of a killer - the victims. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Addiction, Death, Murder, Sexual assault, Alcohol, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Trafficking, Miscarriage, Child death, and Pregnancy