Reviews

A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy by Sue Klebold

ericat7's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

nderiley's review against another edition

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5.0

Fascinating. Like the author, I had always assumed clear sociopathy, gross incompetence of parenting, or some sort of abuse as the only ways a person could be driven to murder. This book really drives home how unknowable we are to each other.

kikip72's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.5

johara's review against another edition

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4.0


Aside from the mind and actions of a mass murderer, Sue's book shows the other side of the story. What the families of criminals are dealing with.
Klebold's book is a heartbreaking memoir of a devastated, traumatized mother who was beyond shocked by her son's actions. How she dealt with the aftermath of the tragedy, and how she used her grief to help others overcome their mental illness.

bambinochance's review against another edition

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It was well written and I'm blown away by Sue's resilence.

There were just topics I wish she'd talked about - What is her relationship with the Harris family nowadays? She said she doesn't consider Dylan a monster, does she consider Eric a monster? I wonder what the Harris family thinks about her book. Did she ever tell the girl her son had a crush on that he liked her? What was her reaction to school shootings after Columbine? What was her reaction to learning about the people who committed suicide after Columbine? I wish she added an adendum after the 20 years had passed and the deposition was released. I don't need to see all of the basement tapes but I do wish there was a side by side of the prom video and his video tape. I think this would be fascinating for psycologists and it would greatly support Sue's argument that she didn't know anything was going on.

It would be interesting to read each family member's perspective. In particular, I'd really like to hear Byron's story.

neptunesdaughter's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative medium-paced

4.0

raeof_sunshinebooks's review against another edition

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challenging emotional sad medium-paced

4.0

purplesssy's review against another edition

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4.0

GREAT book, automatic favorite, but I have to deduct 1 star because I felt like Sue, understandably, clang to the “leader-follower” narrative of the massacre, which has been proven to be wrong (Dylan wrote about it in his journal before he became friends with Eric.) I understand she’s a mother and it’s too much not only to lose your son and the image of him, but I do think it’s irresponsible to pass this narrative forward and put most of the blame on Eric. It almost seems like she doesn’t really think Dylan was a willing participant, but a brainwashed suicide victim who acted out only because he wanted to die. People who read about this case know this isn’t true, and 20 years after the disaster, I wish Sue had come to terms with the role her son played in it before she wrote the book. That being said, I applaud her courage and her activism, and this book was one of the saddest things I’ve ever read. I can’t imagine her pain.

ballaczka's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad slow-paced

3.5

cozycoe's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective medium-paced

3.5