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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
This was an interesting book and I was glad the author told the “whole story” not just the part about the murder.
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Every once in awhile, I'll be in the mood for a good non-fiction book- especially a true crime, or a mystery. If it takes place in Victorian England, that's even better. This checked all those boxes for me, and after seeing a copy for sale at a local second hand book store I became intrigued over Robert Coombs and his story.
Wicked Boy follows Robert's life primarily from the time he was 15, through the crime, the trial, his service in the first World War, and a bit of his life afterwards until his death in 1949. The crime in question is the murder of his mother in 1895. Summerscale did an amazing job of describing the events surrounding the crime, the state of the world at the time, who was involved and what their lives were like, and what became of all those who had a part in Robert's life. She not only described the murder, but painted a broad picture of life at the time, how the crime was received, the backlash, and other similar crimes of the period. She even went on to detail the asylum Broadmoor and its patients (where Robert was ultimately sent for his crime).
I found it fascinating that the media blamed Penny Dreadfuls (essentially short novels/comics of adventure, mystery and derring do aimed at teenage boys) for influencing Robert to kill his mother- not unlike the media of today blaming teen crime on violent video games. In one hundred years, people have not changed that much.
I was fascinated (like Summerscale) as to the 'why' of the crime. Robert seemed insane at the time of the murder, hearing voices, showing no remorse, and stealing from his mother after having killed her. The intriguing part of this narrative is the fact that he turned his life around after having spent more than a decade at the asylum, joined the war effort and became a decorated soldier, not to mention taking on a ward and raising him to adulthood.
Summerscale did a vast amount of research for this book, and it shows. I was constantly interested and invested, wondering what was going to happen next.
I really enjoyed Wicked Boy, and I would certainly read more from Summerscale in the future.
Wicked Boy follows Robert's life primarily from the time he was 15, through the crime, the trial, his service in the first World War, and a bit of his life afterwards until his death in 1949. The crime in question is the murder of his mother in 1895. Summerscale did an amazing job of describing the events surrounding the crime, the state of the world at the time, who was involved and what their lives were like, and what became of all those who had a part in Robert's life. She not only described the murder, but painted a broad picture of life at the time, how the crime was received, the backlash, and other similar crimes of the period. She even went on to detail the asylum Broadmoor and its patients (where Robert was ultimately sent for his crime).
I found it fascinating that the media blamed Penny Dreadfuls (essentially short novels/comics of adventure, mystery and derring do aimed at teenage boys) for influencing Robert to kill his mother- not unlike the media of today blaming teen crime on violent video games. In one hundred years, people have not changed that much.
I was fascinated (like Summerscale) as to the 'why' of the crime. Robert seemed insane at the time of the murder, hearing voices, showing no remorse, and stealing from his mother after having killed her. The intriguing part of this narrative is the fact that he turned his life around after having spent more than a decade at the asylum, joined the war effort and became a decorated soldier, not to mention taking on a ward and raising him to adulthood.
Summerscale did a vast amount of research for this book, and it shows. I was constantly interested and invested, wondering what was going to happen next.
I really enjoyed Wicked Boy, and I would certainly read more from Summerscale in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder
Moderate: Mental illness
A tribute to careful research. The epilogue makes the whole book - if it's not holding your interest, flip to that and read it.
Sigh. This book had more padding than all of the solitary confinement cells at Broadmoor asylum combined. It's not that the story itself isn't fascinating, because it is. It's just that, when all is said and done, there is not enough pertinent information about this case to warrant a whole book. A meticulously researched magazine article or an incredibly detailed wikipedia page? Yes. But a 300+ page book? Not so much.
More than a true crime book, this is a biography of a murderer... and, once again, Summerscale has managed to find an interesting subject, set the context in detail, and provide massive amounts of insight. I don't know how she does it. This was a compelling, touching, fascinating read.
informative
slow-paced
Summerscale is a compelling author & the research she puts into her books is astonishing. But, with this book, she really didn't have much to go on.
The problem is that while she is able to discuss the major life events of Robert's life, she is not able to say who he was - he never wrote a diary (or if he did, it hasn't survived). So Summerscale can only make an educated guess as to why Robert killed his mother or what he felt about his crime as he got older.
Therefore, in places, the book feels quite dry
The problem is that while she is able to discuss the major life events of Robert's life, she is not able to say who he was - he never wrote a diary (or if he did, it hasn't survived). So Summerscale can only make an educated guess as to why Robert killed his mother or what he felt about his crime as he got older.
Therefore, in places, the book feels quite dry
I think this is Summerscale’s best to date. I devoured this one in less than 24 hours.
Two normal boys, not yet in their teens, play at truancy and go to Lord’s Cricket Grounds to watch a match. Harmless fun, really. The elder brother has just aged out of the mandatory school age anyway.
What’s peculiar is their sudden (relative) wealth and lack of adult supervision — at any point. After several days, the body of their mother is discovered in the front bedroom upstairs, mutilated and covered with a sheet. The boys are instantly suspected and arrested. The book follows their trials and their later lives.
Summerscale pulls in not just trial transcripts and newspaper articles; she dusts off witness statements from old police files and finds copies of long forgotten penny dreadfuls that were seized in the arrest.
Please read my entire review here: http://mwgerard.com/review-the-wicked-boy/
Two normal boys, not yet in their teens, play at truancy and go to Lord’s Cricket Grounds to watch a match. Harmless fun, really. The elder brother has just aged out of the mandatory school age anyway.
What’s peculiar is their sudden (relative) wealth and lack of adult supervision — at any point. After several days, the body of their mother is discovered in the front bedroom upstairs, mutilated and covered with a sheet. The boys are instantly suspected and arrested. The book follows their trials and their later lives.
Summerscale pulls in not just trial transcripts and newspaper articles; she dusts off witness statements from old police files and finds copies of long forgotten penny dreadfuls that were seized in the arrest.
Please read my entire review here: http://mwgerard.com/review-the-wicked-boy/
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
"The Wicked Boy: The Mystery of a Victorian Child Murderer" by Kate Summerscale is the best non-fiction book I've read in the past year. I'm impressed by the sleuthing and searching Summerscale has done to tell a complete story. It is a mystery and like a really good mystery the ending is deeply satisfying.