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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
informative
slow-paced
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
dark
medium-paced
I've read a small handful of true crime books lately, and this one seems different from the rest. It's not structured as a mystery might be, for one. This is basically because, until human remains were found to be blocking a drain, no one in the community (neither police nor civilians) was aware that a serial killer had murdered at least 15 men. No one had the faintest idea, and they wouldn't have any clue of the extent of the slaughter either, had Nilsen not openly confessed the minute he was taken in for questioning. He just seems an extremely odd individual, and it's clear that, even after all their interaction, Masters can't figure him out either.
It's hard to read this and not come away with the conclusion that something was very wrong with Nilsen's brain, except that is something that might be said for all serial killers. I think the most interesting thing for me here was an early chapter on the history of mental illness in Nilsen's family... it's significant and well-recorded and seems to have lurked in the foreground for generations until Des Nilsen came along and started doing terribly violent and inexplicable things. I'm not sure how else you can describe necrophilia other than "inexplicable," to be honest, but frankly I am glad I don't understand it, and I'm not sure I want to spend anymore time trying.
It's hard to read this and not come away with the conclusion that something was very wrong with Nilsen's brain, except that is something that might be said for all serial killers. I think the most interesting thing for me here was an early chapter on the history of mental illness in Nilsen's family... it's significant and well-recorded and seems to have lurked in the foreground for generations until Des Nilsen came along and started doing terribly violent and inexplicable things. I'm not sure how else you can describe necrophilia other than "inexplicable," to be honest, but frankly I am glad I don't understand it, and I'm not sure I want to spend anymore time trying.
(7)
This is super informative and acc pretty interesting to read considering how factual it is.
I did tune out a little during the last section but the main section of Nilsen's biography is fascinating (and horrible and disturbing but that's obvious).
I like how Nilsen isn't exaggerated in this too.
This is super informative and acc pretty interesting to read considering how factual it is.
I did tune out a little during the last section but the main section of Nilsen's biography is fascinating (and horrible and disturbing but that's obvious).
I like how Nilsen isn't exaggerated in this too.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Scrolling through The Guardian one day, I was traumatised to see a photo of David Tennant as Dennis Nilsen. "No, David!" I exclaimed.
I watched Des due to the quality of the cast, and learning about Brian Masters I gathered this book wasn't your average book about serial killers. The audio version is narrated by Jason Watkins, who portrayed Masters in Des.
As distressing as the content is, the book is thoroughly researched, intelligent and thoughtful. Watkins narration is excellent, as is probably to be expected given the time he must have spent immersed in studying the people and events. His switches between narrator's voice & Nilsen's Scottish accent are seamless. I wonder if the natural quality of his Scottish accent was influenced by Tennant's performance as Nilsen & their work together?
Most of Watkin's acents, eg the policemen Chambers & Jay, flow naturally, but some are quite jarring such as the American and some of the European ones. Maybe he had access to the people he was quoting and that's what they really sounded like, but they were a bit off putting.
This book has similarities to Born Trump & Too Much And Never Enough - all examine how their subject's psyches were shaped by their family of origin. Nilsen, & Donald & Ivanka's children never stood a great chance, and both Nilsen & Don Jr losing their beloved Grandfathers, their main caregivers & role models, at such formative ages was shattering for them, and neither of them were given support for their losses.
While my heart breaks for the children these people used to be, none of the abusive neglect that they suffered as children excuses the shit adults they became. At least Nilsen never procreated.
According to Born Trump, Don Jr is as shit at parenting as his father.
I watched Des due to the quality of the cast, and learning about Brian Masters I gathered this book wasn't your average book about serial killers. The audio version is narrated by Jason Watkins, who portrayed Masters in Des.
As distressing as the content is, the book is thoroughly researched, intelligent and thoughtful. Watkins narration is excellent, as is probably to be expected given the time he must have spent immersed in studying the people and events. His switches between narrator's voice & Nilsen's Scottish accent are seamless. I wonder if the natural quality of his Scottish accent was influenced by Tennant's performance as Nilsen & their work together?
Most of Watkin's acents, eg the policemen Chambers & Jay, flow naturally, but some are quite jarring such as the American and some of the European ones. Maybe he had access to the people he was quoting and that's what they really sounded like, but they were a bit off putting.
This book has similarities to Born Trump & Too Much And Never Enough - all examine how their subject's psyches were shaped by their family of origin. Nilsen, & Donald & Ivanka's children never stood a great chance, and both Nilsen & Don Jr losing their beloved Grandfathers, their main caregivers & role models, at such formative ages was shattering for them, and neither of them were given support for their losses.
While my heart breaks for the children these people used to be, none of the abusive neglect that they suffered as children excuses the shit adults they became. At least Nilsen never procreated.
According to Born Trump, Don Jr is as shit at parenting as his father.
challenging
dark
informative
medium-paced
challenging
dark
informative
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction
This is a fascinating and horrifying look at Des (Dennis) Nilsen, who murdered at least 15 people and worshipped death.
Brian Masters had visited Nilsen before his death and wrote this criminal study with his cooperation. a unique man (Nilsen) who fully cooperated with the police investigation as soon as they arrested him and confessed to all of his crimes. His cooperation results in a detailed look at his crimes, very graphically in parts, it shows what some people are capable of. while the police initially considered the body parts, found in the drains, maybe of one to two people Nilsen immediately confessed that it was more like 15 or 16 men he had murdered over a four year period from 1978.
Masters concludes there can be no answers for why Nilsen did what he did; he can't explain it himself and so we shall never know.
A really interesting read, especially for fans of true crime.
Brian Masters had visited Nilsen before his death and wrote this criminal study with his cooperation. a unique man (Nilsen) who fully cooperated with the police investigation as soon as they arrested him and confessed to all of his crimes. His cooperation results in a detailed look at his crimes, very graphically in parts, it shows what some people are capable of. while the police initially considered the body parts, found in the drains, maybe of one to two people Nilsen immediately confessed that it was more like 15 or 16 men he had murdered over a four year period from 1978.
Masters concludes there can be no answers for why Nilsen did what he did; he can't explain it himself and so we shall never know.
A really interesting read, especially for fans of true crime.
