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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
A full retrospective of the Lizzie Borden murder trial- well researched and reflective of the scientific and historical limitations of a 100 year old true crime case. I really enjoyed this book- not too gruesome, nor overly physichologically- really it is a biography of a short moment in time. Awesome for history buffs and true crime light fans.
A really well researched book but still a light and enjoyable read, would definitely like to read more from this author
This didn't feel like a YA nonfiction read to me. The author's wordy writing style and failure to provide explanation for some of the customs and terminology of the time period would make this a challenging read for many of my students. I also wish the pictures would have been positioned throughout the book because I hate when books only have the middle insert of pictures. Some of the text boxes also seemed to be placed in awkward spots.
Overall, though, the story of the Borden murders and Lizzie's possible involvement is a crazy one, and Sarah Miller provides a complete but not overly-detailed examination in this book.
Overall, though, the story of the Borden murders and Lizzie's possible involvement is a crazy one, and Sarah Miller provides a complete but not overly-detailed examination in this book.
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
I really knew nothing about her or the case other than the name & that her parents were murdered by an ax. I think I had always thought of her being around 12-13 years old, but she was in her early 30s when her dad & stepmom were murdered.
This book is apparently generally aimed at the middle-grade/teen market (didn't know that when I checked it out -- it's harder to find info like that for ebooks vs. being in the library with physical books where they're shelved in different locations). It's a basic overview of the murders, the investigation, the media coverage, the trial, her acquittal, & her life afterward. I think it tries to stay (mostly but not entirely) middle-of-the-road on the guilt vs. innocence question. And while I was surprised to learn that she was acquitted (told you I knew nothing about her), after reading the book, I would mostly likely have to agree with the jury that her guilt was not proven beyond a reasonable doubt. I've served on juries, so I know the "proven beyond a reasonable doubt" charge is a high bar, but I think this shows a good case of it for teen readers who wouldn't have been on a jury yet/fully understand the impact of it. I think it also shows the impact of the media pre-trial publicity. While a wikipedia reading about Lizzie Borden would have filled me in on the overall story, I found it interesting to read more details about the case. If you have middle- or high-schoolers who are interested in true crime, they might like this one.
This book is apparently generally aimed at the middle-grade/teen market (didn't know that when I checked it out -- it's harder to find info like that for ebooks vs. being in the library with physical books where they're shelved in different locations). It's a basic overview of the murders, the investigation, the media coverage, the trial, her acquittal, & her life afterward. I think it tries to stay (mostly but not entirely) middle-of-the-road on the guilt vs. innocence question. And while I was surprised to learn that she was acquitted (told you I knew nothing about her), after reading the book, I would mostly likely have to agree with the jury that her guilt was not proven beyond a reasonable doubt. I've served on juries, so I know the "proven beyond a reasonable doubt" charge is a high bar, but I think this shows a good case of it for teen readers who wouldn't have been on a jury yet/fully understand the impact of it. I think it also shows the impact of the media pre-trial publicity. While a wikipedia reading about Lizzie Borden would have filled me in on the overall story, I found it interesting to read more details about the case. If you have middle- or high-schoolers who are interested in true crime, they might like this one.
I have two main problems with this book. The first is that the author sets us up by saying that what we know about Lizzie Borden--for most of us gleaned from the rhyme--is wrong. Then she does nothing to prove that the rhyme is wrong. With the evidence Miller presents, I'm convinced that Lizzie Borden was the person giving the whacks.
Secondly, Lizzie Borden was thirty years old and unmarried at the time of the murder. Her spinster status must have been something people commented on, and regularly, yet Miller never unpacks anything about what it meant to be an unmarried woman at that time. I see this as a large oversight.
Though I was constantly irritated by the above two things, this was a very readable (though the prose was sometimes clunky) engrossing book. I enjoyed Miller's inclusion of the way the three (three!) different Fall River newspapers covered the sensational event, as well as the coverage in the national press.
Secondly, Lizzie Borden was thirty years old and unmarried at the time of the murder. Her spinster status must have been something people commented on, and regularly, yet Miller never unpacks anything about what it meant to be an unmarried woman at that time. I see this as a large oversight.
Though I was constantly irritated by the above two things, this was a very readable (though the prose was sometimes clunky) engrossing book. I enjoyed Miller's inclusion of the way the three (three!) different Fall River newspapers covered the sensational event, as well as the coverage in the national press.
dark
informative
medium-paced
I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was interesting and kept me engaged. It's well researched and well written, plus I learned some things I hadn't known before. I would definitely recommend this book to people if they wouldn't find the subject matter too macabre. 4 out of 5 stars, would read again.