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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
I found this book to be difficult for a few reasons. First and foremost, it is intense to repeatedly read about violent atrocities committed against women. I do find the weight of those stories to be overwhelming, however, it is necessary to remember these women that lived and died in those stories. I refuse to let their murderers be the only ones remembered as the years go by. Unfortunately, that doesn’t make it any easier to read about those events. On another note, the content surrounding the overall theory of smelters in the PNW paving the way for the rise in horrific crimes was absolutely fascinating. The amount of research poured into every detail of this book is impressive. I did personally find the authors writing style to be difficult at times, especially at the beginning. The word I used to describe the writing style when I was only about two chapters in was “insufferable” but after a few more chapters I reduced it to “pretentious.” Overall, a very respectful and engaging read, if you have little to no issue reading about details of violent crimes, I would recommend this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Stalking, Car accident, Murder
Moderate: Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment
dark
reflective
slow-paced
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
There are definitely some interesting takeaways in this book, but I thought it was longer than necessary, with information about serial killers and air pollution interspersed with personal information about the author and traffic-related fatalities and accidents. At times I found it difficult to focus. This book provides a high-level overview overview of many serial killers, although it does discuss Ted Bundy more than others.
The most boring introduction I’ve ever read
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Stalking, Murder
dark
sad
slow-paced
I love her writing but I really didn’t care for this book. I found the crime scene details to be too graphic, the random inserts about her own experience growing up to be odd. Other than that bridges carry cars and cars emit leaded gas (back then) I don’t understand the inclusion of all the bridges. I do find the science interesting and spent most of the book wondering why the impact seems to only create male serial killers and that’s kind of explained. I am not sure I buy into the central tenant but it was fascinating to read what was allowed before the EPA and what might be allowed now that it’s toothless. The world deserves better
Pulitzer Prize–winning writer Caroline Fraser, who grew up in Tacoma, Washington, explores the chilling rise of serial killers in the Pacific Northwest during the 1970s and '80s—from Ted Bundy and the Green River Killer to the Night Stalker and the Hillside Stranglers. Fraser proposes the “lead-crime hypothesis,” suggesting that industrial pollution—especially from heavy-metal producing smelting plants—contributed to neurological damage and aggression in susceptible individuals. She convincingly links serial killers’ childhood environments with high exposure to lead, arsenic, and other neurotoxins. This book is like "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson in many ways. I liked the book and gave it four stars.
This is not at all what I expected. The layout is confusing AF, the author jumps around way too much and I found myself wondering several times what this book is actually about.
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced