Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Dark Archives: A Librarian's Investigation into the Science and History of Books Bound in Human Skin by Megan Rosenbloom

25 reviews

proseweb's review against another edition

informative fast-paced

2.5

Kind of hated this tbh!! It was written from kind of a breathless 'isn't it SO COOL that I have a JOB about BOOKS?' place that I found very off-putting. It also didn't seem to engage with any of the larger literature around human remains in favor of slightly-better-than-pop-history. I ended up skimming the last half looking for all the yes/nos on which specimens of alleged human skin binding did in fact end up real, because I knew the author was not going to engage with the ethics around the practice with the rigor or nuance I wanted from her.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Violence, Sexism, Medical content, Antisemitism, and Murder

sistersin124's review

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

I really enjoyed this book and the way the author presented the information. I will say there are some sections that are designed to provoke thought and can be uncomfortable. The focus is very heavy on the people who created the books and the ethics around it all but I also feel like she gives adequate discussion on those used to create the books as well. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Physical abuse, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Racism, Terminal illness, Medical content, Colonisation, Death, and Antisemitism

thepinkladylazarus's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative mysterious medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Medical content, Murder, and Death

dexkit10's review against another edition

dark informative medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Murder, Body horror, and Death

Moderate: Classism, Grief, and War

vohak's review against another edition

dark funny informative slow-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Gore

Minor: Antisemitism, Murder, Blood, Animal death, and Child death

The author handles it all retty well but don't read it if you're squeamish.

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

dark informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

This book messed me right up, and I was here for it lol it totally freaked me out, and I'm not sure that many other people could have pulled this book off. The narrator was also a perfect match - some levity, while also focusing on the seriousness of the subject. So much information in here, and I really appreciated that the author wasn't afraid to touch on the racial implications of some of the books. There are so many tiny ways that white oppressors have tried to make sure their bigoted ideas were mainstream, and we have to catch them in history. Whatever else Ms. Rosenbloom writes, I'm in.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Medical content

Moderate: Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Antisemitism, Blood, Classism, Murder, War, Violence, and Xenophobia

Minor: Racism, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, and Toxic relationship

If you think this is going to freak you out, it likely will, but it's not gross just to be gross.

aturb92's review against another edition

challenging dark informative mysterious medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Medical trauma, and Death

moore2030's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Medical trauma, Body horror, and Medical content

Minor: Murder, Slavery, Genocide, Antisemitism, Blood, Colonisation, Kidnapping, Racism, and Cultural appropriation

rtaire's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative reflective slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Medical content, and Death

Moderate: Body horror and Murder

Minor: Racism, Sexual violence, Antisemitism, Classism, and Misogyny

maryellen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Racism, Slavery, Medical content, and Terminal illness