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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
Read this slowly because it was hard to read. It’s a sad story, but I’m glad I finished it.
dark
slow-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
heavy heavy but so important
3,5⭐
Me costó bastante entrar en la historia, se me hacía un poco lenta y algunos capítulos son demasiado largos. A pesar de esto, es un libro muy interesante que disecciona la vida de un asesino en serie a través de sus ojos y de las mujeres que han marcado su vida y que él marcó la de ellas. Esto es súper relevante porque no es desde el punto de vista de las mujeres que mató o lastimó, sino que va mucho más lejos. Es desde el punto de vista de la madre, de la hermana de una de las víctimas, de la detective. Son estas narraciones las que más me gustaron, las que me resultaron más interesantes y las que hacían que la historia avanzara. Cada que le tocaba narrar a él era un momento de autoreflexión/descubrimiento/culpabilizar a otros y esto se repetía por lo cual se hacía un poquito tedioso.
Dos temas que toca el libro y la consecuente reflexión que hace de ellos me encantaron. 1) Somos la decisiones que tomamos y estamos llenos de "que hubiera pasado si...". 2) Para que una persona llegue a ser victimario o victima; para que la justicia tome las muchas veces injustas decisiones, es porque todo el sistema, no solo el de justicia, ha fallado múltiples veces a lo largo de la vida de todos los ciudadanos.
En resumen, la historia me gustó. No creo que el libro tenga un clímax así que me parece importante que entren en él sabiendo que es una narración pausada y muy cruda.
Me costó bastante entrar en la historia, se me hacía un poco lenta y algunos capítulos son demasiado largos. A pesar de esto, es un libro muy interesante que disecciona la vida de un asesino en serie a través de sus ojos y de las mujeres que han marcado su vida y que él marcó la de ellas. Esto es súper relevante porque no es desde el punto de vista de las mujeres que mató o lastimó, sino que va mucho más lejos. Es desde el punto de vista de la madre, de la hermana de una de las víctimas, de la detective. Son estas narraciones las que más me gustaron, las que me resultaron más interesantes y las que hacían que la historia avanzara. Cada que le tocaba narrar a él era un momento de autoreflexión/descubrimiento/culpabilizar a otros y esto se repetía por lo cual se hacía un poquito tedioso.
Dos temas que toca el libro y la consecuente reflexión que hace de ellos me encantaron. 1) Somos la decisiones que tomamos y estamos llenos de "que hubiera pasado si...". 2) Para que una persona llegue a ser victimario o victima; para que la justicia tome las muchas veces injustas decisiones, es porque todo el sistema, no solo el de justicia, ha fallado múltiples veces a lo largo de la vida de todos los ciudadanos.
En resumen, la historia me gustó. No creo que el libro tenga un clímax así que me parece importante que entren en él sabiendo que es una narración pausada y muy cruda.
📖 Brief Summary (no spoilers)
The novel follows Ansel Packer, a man on death row counting down the last twelve hours of his life. But instead of focusing on him as the typical “serial killer protagonist,” the story is told through the perspectives of the women whose lives intersect with his—his mother, his wife’s twin sister, and the detective determined to catch him. It isn’t really about the murders themselves, but about cycles of violence, generational trauma, and how women are forced to live in the shadow of men’s brutality.
⸻
🌑 Major Themes
• The nature of evil – asks whether killers are born or made, and whether they deserve empathy.
• Cycles of violence – how trauma and neglect ripple across generations.
• Women’s voices vs. men’s power – highlighting women’s perspectives instead of glorifying the murderer.
• Justice and punishment – questioning what execution really means and whether it provides closure.
• Memory and survival – how people carry pain and what they choose to do with it.
⸻
👥 Main Characters
• Ansel Packer – a manipulative, calculating killer awaiting execution.
• Lavender – his mother, trapped in poverty and abuse, who makes one devastating choice early on.
• Saffy – a determined detective who’s been hunting Ansel for years; relentless, haunted, and morally sharp.
• Hazel – the twin sister of Ansel’s wife, who sees the darkness in him that others ignore.
⸻
🔑 Plot Highlights (no spoilers)
• The story unfolds in two timelines:
1. Ansel’s final 12 hours on death row.
2. Flashbacks through the perspectives of the women in his orbit.
• Instead of building suspense around “who did it,” the tension lies in how these lives intersected and the inevitability of justice.
• The shifting POVs create a mosaic of trauma, resilience, and truth.
⸻
✍️ Style and Structure
• Lyrical, haunting, and almost poetic in tone.
• Nonlinear narrative, alternating between Ansel’s countdown and women’s backstories.
• Focused less on gore and more on psychology, memory, and atmosphere.
• Each POV feels distinct—sharp, emotional, and deeply human.
⸻
💭 Quotes (in your words, paraphrased)
• “You will be remembered, but not the way you hoped.”
• “This is not your story. This is theirs.”
• “What is the difference between justice and revenge?”
⸻
📌 Good to Know
• Despite the serial killer premise, it avoids sensationalism—it’s more literary and psychological than graphic.
• Reads like a literary thriller, blending suspense with meditation on morality.
• If you liked The Nickel Boys (Colson Whitehead) or My Sister, the Serial Killer (Oyinkan Braithwaite), this will resonate.
⸻
📝 Why the Title?
The “notes” are not about Ansel’s life accomplishments but about the fragments, reflections, and memories tied to his execution—the women’s testimonies, the countdown of his final day, and the broader meditation on what his death signifies. It’s like an obituary written from every angle except his own
The novel follows Ansel Packer, a man on death row counting down the last twelve hours of his life. But instead of focusing on him as the typical “serial killer protagonist,” the story is told through the perspectives of the women whose lives intersect with his—his mother, his wife’s twin sister, and the detective determined to catch him. It isn’t really about the murders themselves, but about cycles of violence, generational trauma, and how women are forced to live in the shadow of men’s brutality.
⸻
🌑 Major Themes
• The nature of evil – asks whether killers are born or made, and whether they deserve empathy.
• Cycles of violence – how trauma and neglect ripple across generations.
• Women’s voices vs. men’s power – highlighting women’s perspectives instead of glorifying the murderer.
• Justice and punishment – questioning what execution really means and whether it provides closure.
• Memory and survival – how people carry pain and what they choose to do with it.
⸻
👥 Main Characters
• Ansel Packer – a manipulative, calculating killer awaiting execution.
• Lavender – his mother, trapped in poverty and abuse, who makes one devastating choice early on.
• Saffy – a determined detective who’s been hunting Ansel for years; relentless, haunted, and morally sharp.
• Hazel – the twin sister of Ansel’s wife, who sees the darkness in him that others ignore.
⸻
🔑 Plot Highlights (no spoilers)
• The story unfolds in two timelines:
1. Ansel’s final 12 hours on death row.
2. Flashbacks through the perspectives of the women in his orbit.
• Instead of building suspense around “who did it,” the tension lies in how these lives intersected and the inevitability of justice.
• The shifting POVs create a mosaic of trauma, resilience, and truth.
⸻
✍️ Style and Structure
• Lyrical, haunting, and almost poetic in tone.
• Nonlinear narrative, alternating between Ansel’s countdown and women’s backstories.
• Focused less on gore and more on psychology, memory, and atmosphere.
• Each POV feels distinct—sharp, emotional, and deeply human.
⸻
💭 Quotes (in your words, paraphrased)
• “You will be remembered, but not the way you hoped.”
• “This is not your story. This is theirs.”
• “What is the difference between justice and revenge?”
⸻
📌 Good to Know
• Despite the serial killer premise, it avoids sensationalism—it’s more literary and psychological than graphic.
• Reads like a literary thriller, blending suspense with meditation on morality.
• If you liked The Nickel Boys (Colson Whitehead) or My Sister, the Serial Killer (Oyinkan Braithwaite), this will resonate.
⸻
📝 Why the Title?
The “notes” are not about Ansel’s life accomplishments but about the fragments, reflections, and memories tied to his execution—the women’s testimonies, the countdown of his final day, and the broader meditation on what his death signifies. It’s like an obituary written from every angle except his own
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow. A thriller with a bleeding heart. This book reminded me of Bright Young Women but if that book were done even more successfully. A dismantling of the "genius" and "handsome" serial killer while also radically humanizing them and critiquing the death penalty. In the very beginning I was skeptical I would enjoy this much and instead this really stuck the landing for me.
Wonderful writing, characters that really grow and change as you see their tragic conclusions, and a story that wasn't too twisty for the sake of it and gives you a lot to think about.
Enjoyed the touch of having Ansel (the serial killer and one of 4 povs) narrating in second person his chapters. It sets you at a remove from Ansel that sets the tone for the rest of his story as "a monster" and someone that you should empathize with, but not relate to exactly.
Was pleasantly surprised at how well this book manages to address and speak very eloquently about the morally dubious nature of the death penalty and who it hurts. How it represents a fleeting, barbaric form of justice and how at its core, who is it really serving? I think you can both tell Kukafka has a decided point of view on this issue while also still leaving room for us to interpret. Such a delicate and complicated question to leave the reader with. If you are a literary fiction girlie like me and want to dip your toe into Thriller-Land, this would be a great place to start.
Wonderful writing, characters that really grow and change as you see their tragic conclusions, and a story that wasn't too twisty for the sake of it and gives you a lot to think about.
Enjoyed the touch of having Ansel (the serial killer and one of 4 povs) narrating in second person his chapters. It sets you at a remove from Ansel that sets the tone for the rest of his story as "a monster" and someone that you should empathize with, but not relate to exactly.
Was pleasantly surprised at how well this book manages to address and speak very eloquently about the morally dubious nature of the death penalty and who it hurts. How it represents a fleeting, barbaric form of justice and how at its core, who is it really serving? I think you can both tell Kukafka has a decided point of view on this issue while also still leaving room for us to interpret. Such a delicate and complicated question to leave the reader with. If you are a literary fiction girlie like me and want to dip your toe into Thriller-Land, this would be a great place to start.
Whenever I pick up a book and can’t do anything because I’m still thinking about finishing reading that book, I know that that’s going to be a five star read and that’s what this book was for me. I love that It takes the POV of those that are involved in the MCs life and how it affects their lives.