Reviews with content warning for Death - The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder

Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann

114 reviews

libscigrl's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

5.0

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chronologically_charlie's review against another edition

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adventurous dark informative medium-paced

4.5

The only thing that kept going through my head while reading THE WAGER was “ohhh the boys are fiiiighting” in a really sing-songy tune. I continued to gasp, much to the annoyance of those around me, whenever the drama was turned up a notch because damn, these sailors knew how to be catty. Yes, yes, there were circumstances that lead them to their demise and all that jazz, but oh man, nothing like a little mutiny, murder, and manipulation to ruin a voyage at sea.

Now, I am not a boat girlie or a military girlie or a crime girlie, but I am a geography girlie and a pirate girlie and, most importantly, I am a girlie who loves to see the downfall of men. THE WAGER checked off all my boxes, with the exception that the writing is somewhat dry in random sections. Partly because of the terminology of the time and partly because it felt like I was in a history lecture, but by adding in the dramatic-flair to my internal reading voice, it became a lot more exciting.

how did I read it: physical copy from my public library + audio copy from Libby

will I buy it: sure! when it’s on sale!

do I recommend it: yea…but only to certain people, you know?

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shelfofunread's review against another edition

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adventurous informative medium-paced

4.0

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chalkletters's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark medium-paced

2.75

During my book club’s nominations, I voted for The Wager without realising it was non-fiction. Usually, I find non-fiction books, especially non-fiction history books, a little dry and difficult to get absorbed in for long periods of time so, despite the promise of shipwreck, mutiny and murder, I took on The Wager with some trepidation.

As it turned out, David Grann’s writing style is particularly easy to read: he tells the story of The Wager almost as it were a novel, in linear order and from multiple viewpoints, keeping the focus on the narrative and not on the process of research. Characters who could easily have merged into one mass of navy sailors had distinct personalities and characteristics: particularly John Byron, grandfather to the poet George Gordon Byron, whose works provided illuminating quotations at relevant points.

David Grann’s introduction set up an interesting opposition between two different contemporary versions of what happened on Wager Island, but this set up an expectation which wasn’t entirely met by the text. While questions were raised about who, and which actions, were morally correct, there seemed to be little dispute over the actual facts of what happened. The ending, too, was surprisingly simple and easy given that there had been hints of a great argument.

The bulk of The Wager is focused on the journey, the shipwreck and the aftermath. There’s no shortage of action and harrowing details of life at sea in the 1740s. This isn’t the kind of book you read to put yourself in the shoes of the main character and fulfil the wish for an exciting life. Instead, it’s best taken from a safe distance as a display of the human survival spirit.

While I was impressed with David Grann’s writing, I didn’t particularly enjoy the story as much as I might have hoped.

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klbreyfogle's review against another edition

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adventurous dark informative medium-paced

4.0

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cj_lovesbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

5.0

This was a book I could not put down. Even knowing, essentially, how the story ends does not make it any less gripping.
The stories of all these men and the struggles they endure before, during, and after their time as castaways is remarkable. The author presents the tale well and as factually as possible. There is no right and wrong and let’s you, as the reader, decide how to interpret that gray middle ground.

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