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clgotta's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
projektikirjahylly's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
ninazlatkovic's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Great book. I don't think I'd want to be friends with the author, though.
florajb2068_hy's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.75
Great Read, interesting, factual,
cinchona's review against another edition
5.0
Sue Black is remarkable, and this is a remarkable book. For me, teaching anatomy, it's an incredible gift: to go literally lesson by lesson through stories with a senior anatomy teacher, picking up bits of story, style, and knowledge that I can add to my own discussion of the skeleton. For someone else, the presentation might be a little dry or academic: though I think each chapter has enough interest to pull through true-crime fanatics or those who like memoirs of fascinating people.
It's a hard book to recommend to others, since so much of what Professor Black does is identify the remains of children. The language is never unnecessarily grotesque or dramatic, but it is precise and methodical, about the kind of work she does and the kind of swift, violent deaths she often uncovers. Avoid, I think, if you have any aversion to reading about such violence.
Her personal style (of writing, of thinking, of existing) is so distinct and unapologetic it makes her quite a character. I think if, when you start reading, you don't find yourself liking her immensely: you will probably find the book frustrating. Personally, I found her in most places charming: her stalwart self-identity as a Scot and her explanation of what, precisely, she thinks that means -- her embrace of her mother-hen image while doing some of the least stereotypical feminine work i can imagine -- her strong admonitions of this tattoo or that dissection practice -- her cheerful recounting of pranks involving baby bones.
On the whole, it gives an impression of a formidable powerhouse of a professor, a quirky and bizarre emotional landscape of a human, a good-hearted Boomer with a strong sense of moral justice. This book puts you sitting in her lectures, dazzled by her competence and showmanship. It puts you in the police precinct, grieving and grateful for her care and precision. It puts you at her dinner table, rolling your eyes at her thoughts on kids these days and laughing at her sharp wit. I enjoyed the journey immensely and will read it again to pull on the threads of expert knowledge to liven up my own work.
It's a hard book to recommend to others, since so much of what Professor Black does is identify the remains of children. The language is never unnecessarily grotesque or dramatic, but it is precise and methodical, about the kind of work she does and the kind of swift, violent deaths she often uncovers. Avoid, I think, if you have any aversion to reading about such violence.
Her personal style (of writing, of thinking, of existing) is so distinct and unapologetic it makes her quite a character. I think if, when you start reading, you don't find yourself liking her immensely: you will probably find the book frustrating. Personally, I found her in most places charming: her stalwart self-identity as a Scot and her explanation of what, precisely, she thinks that means -- her embrace of her mother-hen image while doing some of the least stereotypical feminine work i can imagine -- her strong admonitions of this tattoo or that dissection practice -- her cheerful recounting of pranks involving baby bones.
On the whole, it gives an impression of a formidable powerhouse of a professor, a quirky and bizarre emotional landscape of a human, a good-hearted Boomer with a strong sense of moral justice. This book puts you sitting in her lectures, dazzled by her competence and showmanship. It puts you in the police precinct, grieving and grateful for her care and precision. It puts you at her dinner table, rolling your eyes at her thoughts on kids these days and laughing at her sharp wit. I enjoyed the journey immensely and will read it again to pull on the threads of expert knowledge to liven up my own work.
stindex's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Murder, Child death, Death, Abortion, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Medical content, Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Torture, and Violence
conniecoo's review against another edition
Although the science was interesting, it was all too dry for me. Graphic and not very fun to read true crime hidden behind an academic veil in my opinion, but I never did enjoy biology...