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ash_lamont's review against another edition
5.0
My first 5 star review of the year. This is a great book, well written and quite gripping.
eviekemp's review against another edition
4.0
Loved how seamlessly this combined real records with the story and gave such a vivid picture of a time and a place I've never considered. A great and twisted crime story on top of this.
tegan_michelle's review against another edition
3.0
For me I love love love that this fictitious novel is written in such a manner that allows it to feel as if you’re reading a true crime novel. As an avid true crime reader I fell for this hard!
Poor Roddy Macrae found himself in tough situation.
But did he do it? Of course he did! There is no question about that. But was he sane? The underlying question of sanity is a key point of interest also giving insight into 19th century legal proceedings.
On that note, I love the setting. The writing was spot on for the period which really added credit to the writing.
Another positive was the way the book was segregated. Into different snippets relating to the case; witness accounts, medical reports, testimonies, the trial. This fits the feel of a true crime novel and added greatly to the book.
However, I did personally feel a lot of stuff was repeated from section to section. Other than that, I just had an issue with the question left unanswered; did he kill because of the oppression wrought by the victim, Mr Broad, or was it an act bred out of rejection and sexual gratification of another victim, Flora?
Personally, my opinion of Roddy as a character changes greatly with which answer I believe. As such I just wish the trial brought about a set answer to stick to this character.
Poor Roddy Macrae found himself in tough situation.
But did he do it? Of course he did! There is no question about that. But was he sane? The underlying question of sanity is a key point of interest also giving insight into 19th century legal proceedings.
On that note, I love the setting. The writing was spot on for the period which really added credit to the writing.
Another positive was the way the book was segregated. Into different snippets relating to the case; witness accounts, medical reports, testimonies, the trial. This fits the feel of a true crime novel and added greatly to the book.
However, I did personally feel a lot of stuff was repeated from section to section. Other than that, I just had an issue with the question left unanswered; did he kill because of the oppression wrought by the victim, Mr Broad, or was it an act bred out of rejection and sexual gratification of another victim, Flora?
Personally, my opinion of Roddy as a character changes greatly with which answer I believe. As such I just wish the trial brought about a set answer to stick to this character.
gemirving's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
rhiannond72's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
roseltov's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Really enjoyable format, and I found it really compelling.
anniinan's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
1.0
ohsnaplez's review against another edition
5.0
Perfect. Completely engrossing, sometimes surprisingly funny, and presents a big picture of the ills of the time seamlessly through the simple, tragic story alone. Every character felt real. I loved this.