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tildahlia's review against another edition
3.0
This was interesting but I do wish it was a little shorter, I was running out of puff by the end (although this may have been an audiobook factor). Colvin is an interesting person and I loved the way the author didn’t sand down her flaws (even though they evidently liked her as a friend). Colvin’s dated views on gender relations, recklessness and substance misuse are not wallpapered over and help to give a good three-dimensional view of her. Loved the descriptions of war reporting - just a fascinating niche of reporting to fall into and one that obviously mystifies even the most hardcore amongst us, with the dangers and costs (not only while on the field but also when trying to resume normal life).
vivienliest's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
amelyy's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
5.0
i am shattered to my core, i am inspired to my core. this book will stay with me.
kazzified29's review against another edition
5.0
I debated on giving a star rating to a biography this powerful. Should I give a rating or should I give a review that speaks for my lack of rating but still say that it’s essentially a 10 star read?
I devoured this book, I was obsessed with this book, and I sobbed at this. This is the only book that has made me cry. Ever. I have said that fiction Fantasy books have torn my heart out and texted a friend, ‘OMG SOBBING!!’ but it’s a lie. In Extremis had me sobbing throughout the epilogue.
Despite being 23 when Marie Colvin died, I was still very much ignorant to the world at that time but with reading In Extremis, I remembered everything that occurred in the book from the mid-90s onward. I think that’s what made the events all the more poignant and hard hitting. I may not have known everything but I remembered some names and dates and events. I would’ve loved to have written about Marie when I did my ‘Language and the Media’ 2010 essay at university.
Yes, this biography came on my radar after watching ‘A Private War,’ but the book filled in a lot of the blanks of the movie and I do think that the movie beautifully accompanies the biography. Granted, the movie is ‘based’ upon Colvin’s life with a lot of the events adapted and changed, but the biography really presents Colvin in all of her fallible glory. That’s what I loved about it. I couldn’t put it down. I didn’t want to. I wanted to know more about Marie and was kicking myself for not being more invested at the time. Being a child of the latter years of the Troubles, conflict sends my head into the sand, even to this day.
When I was at work, I was itching to continue reading during my lunch break (I never read on my lunch break), or itching to continue reading on the bus home. I nearly missed my bus stop on my morning commute because I needed to know what was going to happen to Marie.
A beautifully written and sensitive biography. Lindsey did an exceptional job piecing an extraordinary life together and paying tribute to an remarkable woman. Now, to pass this off biography to my colleague who has asked to borrow it.
I devoured this book, I was obsessed with this book, and I sobbed at this. This is the only book that has made me cry. Ever. I have said that fiction Fantasy books have torn my heart out and texted a friend, ‘OMG SOBBING!!’ but it’s a lie. In Extremis had me sobbing throughout the epilogue.
Despite being 23 when Marie Colvin died, I was still very much ignorant to the world at that time but with reading In Extremis, I remembered everything that occurred in the book from the mid-90s onward. I think that’s what made the events all the more poignant and hard hitting. I may not have known everything but I remembered some names and dates and events. I would’ve loved to have written about Marie when I did my ‘Language and the Media’ 2010 essay at university.
Yes, this biography came on my radar after watching ‘A Private War,’ but the book filled in a lot of the blanks of the movie and I do think that the movie beautifully accompanies the biography. Granted, the movie is ‘based’ upon Colvin’s life with a lot of the events adapted and changed, but the biography really presents Colvin in all of her fallible glory. That’s what I loved about it. I couldn’t put it down. I didn’t want to. I wanted to know more about Marie and was kicking myself for not being more invested at the time. Being a child of the latter years of the Troubles, conflict sends my head into the sand, even to this day.
When I was at work, I was itching to continue reading during my lunch break (I never read on my lunch break), or itching to continue reading on the bus home. I nearly missed my bus stop on my morning commute because I needed to know what was going to happen to Marie.
A beautifully written and sensitive biography. Lindsey did an exceptional job piecing an extraordinary life together and paying tribute to an remarkable woman. Now, to pass this off biography to my colleague who has asked to borrow it.
kirstyolcer's review against another edition
5.0
Mind blowing story. Really opened my eyes the importance, realities and dangers of journalism in a war zone.
stabilesero's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
5.0
A very inspiring, difficult and emotional read. I'm a little young to remember Colvin, either by name or face but I seen this in a bookshop and just felt drawn to her picture. I can imagine many a journalist aspiring to follow in her footsteps.
Hilsum absolutely nailed carrying through Colvin's goal of telling the stories of humanity and I really felt she did both Marie and the individuals she met, justice through telling their stories at equal levels of importance.
An insight into Colvin's background and life, but also of the wars and devastation she witnessed.
Hilsum absolutely nailed carrying through Colvin's goal of telling the stories of humanity and I really felt she did both Marie and the individuals she met, justice through telling their stories at equal levels of importance.
An insight into Colvin's background and life, but also of the wars and devastation she witnessed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Blood, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, Rape, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Death, War, and Gun violence
Moderate: Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, and Eating disorder