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trin's review against another edition
2.0
I'm really rather embarrassed to have read this, but the recent film (all thirteen hours of it!) sufficiently intrigued me. Graysmith, as several people cautioned me, is not a very good writer; he has an odd tendency to sensationalize not especially sensational moments, and then describe parts that are naturally fantastic or terrifying in a strangely flat tone. In a way it served as a compliment to David Fincher, who included some legitimately nail-biting scenes in his 26-hour-long adaptation. It's intriguing, however, to see how Graysmith's seriously consuming interest in Zodiac manifests in this book; he draws some connections that seem like pretty lengthy reaches to me, and I'm not utterly convinced of the veracity of all his reporting. In a way this becomes a story not so much about a serial killer, but about a man obsessed with one. It was in the scenes with that element as their focus that Fincher's film became the most cohesive (and stopped making you feel every second of its 39-hour-length), and interestingly, the places in Graysmith's narrative where that subtext shines through are where it's the most compelling as well. In the end, neither is the best book or movie that could be made on the subject, but they're both very interesting in spots.
kitkat175's review against another edition
4.0
I've seen the movie, now I've read the book and both are very excellent.
Definitely read and and watch the movie again.
Definitely read and and watch the movie again.
xlozergirlx's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
4.0
tuttleistired's review against another edition
3.0
“Witchcraft, death threats, cryptograms, a hooded killer still sought, dedicated investigators, and a mysterious man in a white Chevy who is seen by all but known by no one are all parts of the Zodiac mystery”
“Sides of the Chris Craft, reflected in the deep and highly polished floor, mirrored in the brass work around him, and copied in a hundred polished shaft bearings. He was reproduced full length in the floor to ceiling show window. Starr [Allen] was everywhere I looked.”
“One day he and Mike Mageau found themselves in the same Southland courtroom, Bryan a well-dressed defense attorney, Mike in an orange jumpsuit, still a troubled victim and a former street person. “Look at you and look at me,” says Megeau. “Touched by the same killer and look what you have become. Look what I have become.”
This is my fourth time rereading this book, and I continue to hate Robert Graysmith. While yes he is extremely knowledgeable on this whole case but he is still very bias in who he thinks is the Zodiac. This whole book is just explaining every point of how Aurther Leigh Allen was the Zodiac. While yes I agree that Allen could definitely be the killer I also think Graysmith very quickly looked of the idea that like Morrill (pretty sure not the guys real name) thinks the Zodiac could be two people. One being the killer and the second being the writer of the letters. Graysmith will die thinking that Allen was the killer. I wish that this book would be less biased but it’s fine and I hope all readers go and do outside research on this case. I’ve learned while doing a lot of research on the case for a paper that a lot of what Graysmith says is somewhat or very exaggerated. All I say is please go research this case yourself once you finish the book, and don’t even get me started on the movie.
“Sides of the Chris Craft, reflected in the deep and highly polished floor, mirrored in the brass work around him, and copied in a hundred polished shaft bearings. He was reproduced full length in the floor to ceiling show window. Starr [Allen] was everywhere I looked.”
“One day he and Mike Mageau found themselves in the same Southland courtroom, Bryan a well-dressed defense attorney, Mike in an orange jumpsuit, still a troubled victim and a former street person. “Look at you and look at me,” says Megeau. “Touched by the same killer and look what you have become. Look what I have become.”
This is my fourth time rereading this book, and I continue to hate Robert Graysmith. While yes he is extremely knowledgeable on this whole case but he is still very bias in who he thinks is the Zodiac. This whole book is just explaining every point of how Aurther Leigh Allen was the Zodiac. While yes I agree that Allen could definitely be the killer I also think Graysmith very quickly looked of the idea that like Morrill (pretty sure not the guys real name) thinks the Zodiac could be two people. One being the killer and the second being the writer of the letters. Graysmith will die thinking that Allen was the killer. I wish that this book would be less biased but it’s fine and I hope all readers go and do outside research on this case. I’ve learned while doing a lot of research on the case for a paper that a lot of what Graysmith says is somewhat or very exaggerated. All I say is please go research this case yourself once you finish the book, and don’t even get me started on the movie.