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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Notes on an Execution isn’t a genre I frequently read. It was a book club pick, and while I enjoy thrillers, I wasn’t really in the mood going in since fantasy romance and dark fantasy romance are my north star. From the synopsis, I immediately drew comparisons to Bright Young Women, a book I personally did not enjoy. Both novels give voice to women impacted by violence, but Notes on an Execution did it in a way that resonated with me far more.
Danya Kukafka writes Notes on an Execution in a way that shifts the sole focus away from Ansel, the man on death row, and onto three women, chosen as the narrative lens through which we witness the ripple effects of his life. Kukafka purposefully restrains his voice by making his chapters shorter, unnamed, and giving the reader just enough insight into his past and present day fractured mindset. This leaves room for the heart of the story to belong to the women. Lavender, his mother, whose cycles of abuse and abandonment defined his childhood; Saffy, the foster sister turned detective, whose career-long fixation on him is equal parts guilt and resolve; and Hazel, his sister-in-law, whose uneasy closeness to Ansel leaves her holding pieces of his story she does not fully recognize.
Through these perspectives, Kukafka reframes true crime storytelling by denying Ansel any sense of mystery or allure. Instead, she highlights the futures stolen, the impossible choices women are forced to make, and the way abuse echoes across generations. This was a perfect book club pick, sparking conversations about nature versus nurture and whether someone can be wholly bad or shaped by tragedy.
Notes on an Execution was a truly thought provoking book. Kukafka’s decision to center the women’s voices instead of sensationalizing Ansel makes the story powerful and unforgettable. It gave me so much to reflect on and, collectively, our group rated it 4.5 ⭐️’s. For me, it was an easy five ⭐️ read.
Danya Kukafka writes Notes on an Execution in a way that shifts the sole focus away from Ansel, the man on death row, and onto three women, chosen as the narrative lens through which we witness the ripple effects of his life. Kukafka purposefully restrains his voice by making his chapters shorter, unnamed, and giving the reader just enough insight into his past and present day fractured mindset. This leaves room for the heart of the story to belong to the women. Lavender, his mother, whose cycles of abuse and abandonment defined his childhood; Saffy, the foster sister turned detective, whose career-long fixation on him is equal parts guilt and resolve; and Hazel, his sister-in-law, whose uneasy closeness to Ansel leaves her holding pieces of his story she does not fully recognize.
Through these perspectives, Kukafka reframes true crime storytelling by denying Ansel any sense of mystery or allure. Instead, she highlights the futures stolen, the impossible choices women are forced to make, and the way abuse echoes across generations. This was a perfect book club pick, sparking conversations about nature versus nurture and whether someone can be wholly bad or shaped by tragedy.
Notes on an Execution was a truly thought provoking book. Kukafka’s decision to center the women’s voices instead of sensationalizing Ansel makes the story powerful and unforgettable. It gave me so much to reflect on and, collectively, our group rated it 4.5 ⭐️’s. For me, it was an easy five ⭐️ read.
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Alle Perspektiven außer die des Mörders waren spannend/ packend/ interessant. Aber gute Thematik, dass man diesen Mythos Serial Killer weniger glorifizieren sollte
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
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
Exquisitely done IMO - nuanced without ever justifying or apologizing for violence.
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Sexual violence, Murder
Moderate: Violence, Abandonment