Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe

15 reviews

bigheadcam's review

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

An absolutely incredible, fascinating, and perfectly paced narrative nonfiction on the Troubles. Radden Keefe is very careful to specify that this book is not "historical" nonfiction because a lot of the information in this book is derived from oral accounts. He did his best to reconcile these accounts by corroborating them with more official records and reports, but the Troubles are not well documented and were a truly chaotic time.

Radden Keefe's writing is objective and informative while also remaining gripping and maintaining an excellent storytelling tone. I was consistently impressed with how well he kept every subject covered interesting, and how he manages to switch contexts without losing the reader or making it jarring.

Thanks to John Oliver for recommending this on Hot Ones. I'd happily do the same for anyone with an interest in history, radical ideologies, revolution, and modern struggles for independence as well as the cost of said struggles.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Cancer, Bullying, Murder, War, Blood, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Terminal illness, Confinement, Classism, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Gun violence, Police brutality, Alcoholism, Body horror, Excrement, Physical abuse, Violence, Child death, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Self harm, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Forced institutionalization, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

maggies's review

challenging emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

5.0

Since reading Empire of Pain and Rogues, PRK has topped my list of nonfiction writers. His attention to detail and ability to weave a history that reads like a novel is second to none. The story of Jean McConville and her children, the nationalist movement, the origins of the Troubles, and its fragile peace and enduring legacy is told not necessarily chronologically, but thematically. PRK leaves a trail of breadcrumbs throughout as he builds to his final conclusion, with shocking twists and reveals along the way. Among the most shocking was the constant reminder of how recent this history is—while many active participants have passed away, many others are still alive, and memory is long.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Violence, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, War, Torture, Suicide, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Confinement, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Murder, and Addiction

Moderate: Religious bigotry and Police brutality

lipliplip's review

challenging dark emotional informative tense slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Murder, Death, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Blood, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Gun violence, War, and Police brutality

sonygaystation's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Eating disorder, War, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Body horror, Blood, Violence, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Alcoholism, Medical content, Torture, and Addiction

Minor: Child abuse, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Excrement, Dementia, and Drug use

laurenkimoto's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

3.5

Going into this my knowledge of the troubles was limited to Derry Girls and that small plot point in Criminal Minds, so to start I was a little confused (and I’m still not 100% confident) but overall was explained in an interesting and clear way. 

The audiobook gets a bonus 0.5 star (not included) because it is narrated by an Irish man and every time he said “poor” it added a week to my life. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Eating disorder, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Racism, Violence, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Self harm, Police brutality, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Suicide attempt, Colonisation, Death of parent, Hate crime, Suicide, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Mass/school shootings, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Blood, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, War, and Murder

222abbi's review

emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.75

This book is incredible, it’s a non fiction history book but reads like fiction. It is amazing how it is weaved together key characters from the troubles into a story. It sympathetically told a complicated history in a understanding, entertaining and enlightening way. It is genuinely such an interesting and engaging look at history and present. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Police brutality, Mental illness, Death, Confinement, War, Torture, Physical abuse, Mass/school shootings, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Grief, Genocide, Excrement, Eating disorder, Blood, Pedophilia, Murder, Death of parent, and Colonisation

travisppe's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

Very interesting narrative, almost reads like a novel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Ableism, Child abuse, Confinement, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Deportation, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Murder, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Violence, and War

marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition

challenging dark informative mysterious slow-paced

5.0

Say Nothing is a chilling chronicle of The Troubles of Northern Ireland and its aftermath, with special focus on the orchestrated disappearance of civilian mother of ten Jean McConville.  Per the author, Patrick Radden Keefe, the book is not a comprehensive history, but as someone who knew virtually nothing about The Troubles going in, I found Say Nothing to be a great place to start.  I found the account of the Price sisters to be particularly fascinating.  This is a compelling story about people standing up for what they believe in, filled with betrayal and deadly consequences.  Matthew Blaney’s narration is exquisite.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Kidnapping, and Eating disorder

Moderate: Colonisation, Death, Excrement, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Police brutality, Suicide, War, Confinement, Religious bigotry, Torture, and Violence

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Dementia, Pedophilia, and Child death

foxonabook's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Excrement, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Medical content, Eating disorder, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Torture, Violence, and War

hannahquin's review

adventurous emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Mass/school shootings, War, Sexual violence, Violence, Hate crime, Blood, and Eating disorder

Moderate: Child death, Child abuse, Mental illness, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, and Pedophilia