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khitch629's review against another edition
5.0
it took me forever to read this thanks to life and school, but this was a great read. it really provided a lot of insight into rape culture, especially on college campuses, and shared what is being done to address these problems so that victims can get better justice
ambrose_7's review against another edition
4.0
Disturbing and shocking, Krakauer did a masterful job of opening me into a topic that is shunned in society. This was one of the books that changed my perception of life and my worldview. At times it seemed repetitive, but it really is a story that AMERICA needs to take to heart. A book that will truly make you heartbroken and angry. A hard read but an important one.
ammmiiiii's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
I’ve long thought about how to review this book, and the only words that come to mind are shocking, incredibly sad, horrifying, incredible, unbelievable.
The pain from this kind of ordeal is never-ending, and if I could wrap my arms around every girl mentioned in the book, I would.
The pain from this kind of ordeal is never-ending, and if I could wrap my arms around every girl mentioned in the book, I would.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
stephnbaby's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
chelseatm's review against another edition
2.0
My following review is not meant to be taken as a critique on the state of sexual assault or their succeeding justice paths in North America today. Instead, it is a review of how Jon Krakauer handled the subject of rape in one small Montana town.
I have long been a fan of Krakauer's work and I was eager to read his latest book. Adding to that, the issues of rape and consent have also been of interest to me and ones that I ponder frequently. However, I was disappointed with Krakauer's handling. His subjective and editorializing approach at times brinked on irresponsible. He failed to use the word allegedly numerous times despite the accused in question having never been convicted. Well I appreciate his wanting to stay on the side of the victim, I felt that his demonizing of the accused not only hurt his credibility in handling the subject matter truthfully and forthrightly, it was also distracting as a reader. I felt I was not given an honest opportunity to develop my own opinion. Also, at times with his use of 'pissing contest,' 'with disdain,' and 'icy,' I felt that he was acting childish.
The book was also just a regurgitation of two rape trials without offering any actual commentary or fruitful interviews. When I picked up the book, I had assumed it would be a multi-perspective piece with numerous experts and officials in the sexual assault and justice community. Instead, it turned out to be a public shaming of officials with only a smattering of advice and solutions in the last couple pages at the conclusion. I feel Krakauer could have achieved his objective much more effectively without the editorializing and more background and interviews to shape and support the cases that he was outlined.
Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this book.
I have long been a fan of Krakauer's work and I was eager to read his latest book. Adding to that, the issues of rape and consent have also been of interest to me and ones that I ponder frequently. However, I was disappointed with Krakauer's handling. His subjective and editorializing approach at times brinked on irresponsible. He failed to use the word allegedly numerous times despite the accused in question having never been convicted. Well I appreciate his wanting to stay on the side of the victim, I felt that his demonizing of the accused not only hurt his credibility in handling the subject matter truthfully and forthrightly, it was also distracting as a reader. I felt I was not given an honest opportunity to develop my own opinion. Also, at times with his use of 'pissing contest,' 'with disdain,' and 'icy,' I felt that he was acting childish.
The book was also just a regurgitation of two rape trials without offering any actual commentary or fruitful interviews. When I picked up the book, I had assumed it would be a multi-perspective piece with numerous experts and officials in the sexual assault and justice community. Instead, it turned out to be a public shaming of officials with only a smattering of advice and solutions in the last couple pages at the conclusion. I feel Krakauer could have achieved his objective much more effectively without the editorializing and more background and interviews to shape and support the cases that he was outlined.
Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this book.
erintowner's review against another edition
3.0
Kirsten Pabst is for real going to hell. Inspiring to read about all the young women strong enough to tell their stories--not easy at all.
book_concierge's review against another edition
4.0
Digital audio book narrated by Mozhan Marno and Scott Brick
Subtitle: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town. Krakauer explores the issue of acquaintance rape (sometimes called “date rape”). While every young woman is warned about strangers, the dangers of being out alone at night, and being alert to her surroundings, crime statistics show that most rapists are NOT men in ski-masks hiding in dark alleys. In fact, many more sexual assaults take place between acquaintances. That young man you’ve known through work or school is much more likely to assault you than a total stranger is.
He focuses on one college town, and a couple of star football players, and the women who were their victims. The events he details began in 2010 and he follows the cases through about 2014, exploring how the assaults affected the rapists, the detectives, the women victims, their friends and families. It is at times a very disturbing book. But it is one that more people should read. This topic SHOULD make us uncomfortable, we should be enraged at the way in which the justice systems treats these women, and at the way in which the universities (and their all-important big-donor alumni) dismiss the women’s stories in favor of supporting the athletes.
Krakauer chose this particular state-run Montana university and the football players involved. But this story could just as easily have been based at a private college in the East, or featured rapists who were not star athletes.
The audio version is jointly narrated by Mozhan Marno and Scott Brick. Marno does most of the book, with Brick voicing the forward and the final chapter where Krakauer writes in first person. They do an exceptionally good job.
Subtitle: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town. Krakauer explores the issue of acquaintance rape (sometimes called “date rape”). While every young woman is warned about strangers, the dangers of being out alone at night, and being alert to her surroundings, crime statistics show that most rapists are NOT men in ski-masks hiding in dark alleys. In fact, many more sexual assaults take place between acquaintances. That young man you’ve known through work or school is much more likely to assault you than a total stranger is.
He focuses on one college town, and a couple of star football players, and the women who were their victims. The events he details began in 2010 and he follows the cases through about 2014, exploring how the assaults affected the rapists, the detectives, the women victims, their friends and families. It is at times a very disturbing book. But it is one that more people should read. This topic SHOULD make us uncomfortable, we should be enraged at the way in which the justice systems treats these women, and at the way in which the universities (and their all-important big-donor alumni) dismiss the women’s stories in favor of supporting the athletes.
Krakauer chose this particular state-run Montana university and the football players involved. But this story could just as easily have been based at a private college in the East, or featured rapists who were not star athletes.
The audio version is jointly narrated by Mozhan Marno and Scott Brick. Marno does most of the book, with Brick voicing the forward and the final chapter where Krakauer writes in first person. They do an exceptionally good job.