Scan barcode
emmalemonnz's review
2.0
The premise is great. The topic is interesting.
The research is sub-par and the writing and editing are atrocious.
I'm kind of offended by how badly written this was, and I'm not generally one of those people who goes around being offended by things. I just... I don't have words for how bad it was. I regret the time I spent reading this book. The thing is, it starts off okay, but gets worse as it goes along. So by the time you realise just how bad it truly is, you're invested. It's like the editor gave up two- thirds of the way through. I resent Scribner for publishing this drivel. I dislike myself for reading it the whole way through.
There are a lot of excellent true crime books out there. This is not one of them.
The research is sub-par and the writing and editing are atrocious.
I'm kind of offended by how badly written this was, and I'm not generally one of those people who goes around being offended by things. I just... I don't have words for how bad it was. I regret the time I spent reading this book. The thing is, it starts off okay, but gets worse as it goes along. So by the time you realise just how bad it truly is, you're invested. It's like the editor gave up two- thirds of the way through. I resent Scribner for publishing this drivel. I dislike myself for reading it the whole way through.
There are a lot of excellent true crime books out there. This is not one of them.
dilchh's review against another edition
5.0
My first venture into the true crime genre. And not a bad one indeed. Truth of the matter I am not quite aware about the story of this particular serial killer, but I remember there was an episode of Criminal Minds that had quite a similar storyline to this murders; whether or not it was inspired by the actual killings, I'm not sure but it became one of the reason I went and bought this book. •
There was something about how the authors narrate the story that kept hooked to this book, though it frightened me so. I mean, living alone and reading serial killing of this magnitude is not a pleasant way to end your day. But, the writing and the research really made this book a thoroughly enjoyable read. Even the conclusion at the ending! Wow!
•
If you're not keen in the true crime genre then maybe this book is not for you, but, if you're like me and trying to try out some new genre to read, this would not be a bad choice of book to start. •
There was something about how the authors narrate the story that kept hooked to this book, though it frightened me so. I mean, living alone and reading serial killing of this magnitude is not a pleasant way to end your day. But, the writing and the research really made this book a thoroughly enjoyable read. Even the conclusion at the ending! Wow!
•
If you're not keen in the true crime genre then maybe this book is not for you, but, if you're like me and trying to try out some new genre to read, this would not be a bad choice of book to start. •
booksamongstfriends's review
3.0
Do you ever struggle to finish a book but finish it anyway so you can say you got through it? That was me with The Man from the Train.
While I love all things True Crime, I highly regret not getting this as an audiobook. It at times felt repetitive with the information, especially in the way it's written.
Because of this, the book could've been a lot of shorter.
With that being said, if you enjoy true crime I would recommend getting this book on audio. It's very well researched and there's so many historical details. It's truly crazy reading along and acknowledging just how many people fell victim to one man! And not just by his hand directly but indirectly by being wrongly accused for his crimes. Wild.
While I love all things True Crime, I highly regret not getting this as an audiobook. It at times felt repetitive with the information, especially in the way it's written.
Because of this, the book could've been a lot of shorter.
With that being said, if you enjoy true crime I would recommend getting this book on audio. It's very well researched and there's so many historical details. It's truly crazy reading along and acknowledging just how many people fell victim to one man! And not just by his hand directly but indirectly by being wrongly accused for his crimes. Wild.
phoebeonthehill's review
dark
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
5.0
Having read some very negative reviews, I would say I liked this book. The author has a very casual writing style that could rub someone the wrong way but it did not offend me. I, personally, liked that he would go on long tangents about the aftermath of each crime, how the small towns would deal with a horrific crime. I also liked that he would spell out all the facts, even the ones that would mean the Man from the Train did not commit the crime. It made me feel that I could make my own informed decisions about each case.
For such a research heavy subject, I would have appreciated footnotes. Attempting to always put the source in the text -like he said he wanted to- didn't happen and, if it had, would have been very annoying to read. He definitely took some liberties describing what was going on in the murderer's mind or sometimes the victims. While that's not the worst thing, it got a bit silly in my eyes.
Over all, not perfect but a wonderful overview of a very interesting subject. I would reccomend to people who love true crime and don't mind the casual writing style.
For such a research heavy subject, I would have appreciated footnotes. Attempting to always put the source in the text -like he said he wanted to- didn't happen and, if it had, would have been very annoying to read. He definitely took some liberties describing what was going on in the murderer's mind or sometimes the victims. While that's not the worst thing, it got a bit silly in my eyes.
Over all, not perfect but a wonderful overview of a very interesting subject. I would reccomend to people who love true crime and don't mind the casual writing style.
christie_esau's review
4.0
A very long and very detailed read, but fascinating and specific and terrifying.