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saracino's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Cannibalism and War
maryclaire92's review against another edition
4.25
Moderate: Violence, Body horror, War, Physical abuse, Slavery, Colonisation, Murder, Cannibalism, Death, and Racism
maybevie's review against another edition
4.5
Moderate: Death
Minor: Animal death and Cannibalism
starvationmadmaura's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Confinement, and War
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cannibalism, Classism, Animal death, Grief, Blood, Child death, and Alcoholism
tinytrashqueen's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Cannibalism and Medical content
koboldmartian's review against another edition
5.0
I do not really have any good experience reading non-fiction so forgive me if this review is not as eloquent, but this was the most gripping and fascinating non-fiction story I have ever read. David Grann's writing is so immersive and clear and painted such a vivid picture of the turmoil, and horrors that these men were put through.
The book is structured beautifully, it flowed well, I was angry at people, I sympathized with people, I was disgusted by what they did or what they had to do, I was all the proper emotions needed to read this book.
This book was so educating and the life that people had to live back then on the ocean is just absolutely terrible. The entire time, I felt pulled by both "parties" involved in this stories and I don't think you can really blame anyone of the decisions made in this situation; it really makes you think about what you would do put in these men's shoes.
I will be picking up Grann's other works to read and this book has opened the floodgates for non-fiction for me. I hope to read more especially if they are this engaging.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Animal death, Cannibalism, Cultural appropriation, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Vomit, Gun violence, Medical content, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Death, Abandonment, Alcohol, Trafficking, Chronic illness, Child death, Death of parent, Gore, Pandemic/Epidemic, Animal cruelty, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Classism, Confinement, Racism, Violence, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Murder, Suicide, and War
gringolet's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Colonisation, Racism, Death, Alcohol, Violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, and Xenophobia
sherlocktomes's review against another edition
5.0
Highly researched, approachable and balanced, this account details the birth and death of The Wager, a ship in 1700’s Britain tasked with colonising and plundering native and non native peoples to increase the British empires hold over the worlds land and resources.
Grann helps paint a vision of the sheer unrelenting and unpredictable nature of the sea, at times you wonder how much more these sailors can endure, and yet the story carries on.
As with KOTFM, I felt I would have liked more commitment from the author towards documenting the extent of the genocidal and colonial actions of so many western countries at this time, particularly their treatment of native peoples who, on the whole, were far more intelligent, resourceful and organised than the people who reduced them to a stereotype of “savages”. I do feel more of a background of the British empire as it stood at that time, and their use of the Navy to do so would have been beneficial for giving more context for the average reader.
Overall, a thorough and very enjoyable read (albeit grim and miserable). 5/5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Colonisation, Murder, Child death, Death, Confinement, and Suicide
Moderate: War, Racism, and Slavery
nanitiq's review against another edition
4.25
But somehow, at the same time, The Wager is an inspiring tale about adventure and exploration and the wonderfully terrifying place that is our planet. This will be the book I recommended to readers interested in Grann and historical non-fiction.
I cannot wait for these events to be brought to the screen by Scorcese. I think it could be even more upsetting and captivating than Killers of the Flower Moon.
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Cannibalism and Murder
Minor: Slavery
dogswithnogs's review against another edition
3.5
Moderate: Violence, Colonisation, Death, and Xenophobia
Minor: Slavery, Torture, and Animal death