Reviews with content warning for Violence - Notes on an Execution

Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

134 reviews

tyreadsbooks_'s review

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

✦ synopsis

Ansel Packer, a serial killer on death row, is scheduled to die in 12 hours. But this is not his story.

Told through the eyes of 3 women in his life - a mother, a sister, & a detective - we discover the choices that culminate in tragedy & the impact on those in his wake.

This is the story of the women who survive.

✦ Read if you like :

-complex, thought provoking reads

-character driven stories

-multiple POVs

-books you’ll want to binge read

-audiobooks with multiple narrators

-true crime/detective stories

✦ my thoughts

I was utterly captivated from start to finish, I could not put it down. I read this book cover to cover in one day.

Given the subject matter, I was surprised how beautifully & emotionally written it was. It was poetic, insightful, & gracefully done. A compelling, unsettling, thought provoking work of literary suspense that challenges the sensationalism of serial killer stories by putting the focus on the women’s voices.

Notes on an Execution would make for a great book club read. The themes in the book beg for a discussion - the death penalty, redemption, sympathy, nature vs nurture, inherent good vs evil, the glorification of serial killers. I could go on & on.

This is one of those books that will stay with you for a very long time. I highly, highly recommend it! And if you do, read the author notes. It added a whole extra layer of insight.

★★★★★ 5/5 stars

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music_girl84's review

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emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Content Warnings

srutiramesh's review

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reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

geminireader's review

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A deeply challenging, disturbing novel. Undoubtedly worth the read. I don’t think I need to delve into it more; the synopsis perfectly covers what is about and how thought-provoking it is.

Content Warnings

emiliegrace's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wow what a truly poignantly heavy read. Kukafka expertly navigates the telling of Ansel’s story through the eyes of the women so deeply affected by his actions and the age old discussion of good vs evil - all while casting a scrutinizing glance at the American justice system. The women become the main characters in what would otherwise be another true crime look at a serial killer’s psyche, and by focusing on these women, Kukafka explores the depth of how they are individually affected by their own choices and the choices of others. The exploration of the way our choices splinter our lives into endless different paths was unexpected, but a theme I greatly appreciated throughout the women’s stories as well as Ansel’s own death row reflections. I found myself aching for the pain that Lavender felt at the hands of her husband, while recognizing and resenting her choice of abandoning her children in order to save herself. I found myself devastated in Hazel’s recognition that she would forever be shadowed by the death of her twin sister. But I found myself most pleased with the outcome of Saffy’s story. Her unsuredness in herself that dissolves into a steadfast and primal need to seek justice - only for that justice to then ultimately feel unsatisfying and flawed (as our system often is). Truly a masterful exploration of tragedy and its effects on humanity.

Content Warnings

arayo's review

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dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Content Warnings

emy790's review

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dark emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Content Warnings

angelaainnes's review

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challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

lololoretta's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

4.75

Content Warnings

upshawsg's review

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Besides the occasional overuse of the word “sour”, Danya was able to spin a haunting story about the impact a serial killer has had on the women in his life. Finished it in 2 days and I’m still thinking about it long after reading the final pages.

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