Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Missing from the Village: The Story of Serial Killer Bruce McArthur, the Search for Justice, and the System That Failed Toronto's Queer Community by Justin Ling

4 reviews

ruthlessreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad medium-paced

5.0

This is one of the best, most thoughtfully done true crime books I've ever read. Ling takes great care to represent the victims honestly and to include interviews and permissions from family members. He also discusses the exploitative nature of true crime, as a genre, and the ways in which telling the stories of crimes against & within marginalized communities is valuable. 

Using over 5 years of research, the author outlines how a serial killer hunted & killed members of Toronto's queer community, how that community responded, and the egregious mismanagement of these cases by local police. He also humanizes the victims, providing a window into their lives through the interviews of their family & friends. This account of loss, grief, and systemic discrimination against race, gender, and sexuality speaks to current societal issues while also highlighting the real human cost of failed policing & marginalization of personal identities.  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Stalking, Grief, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, Sexual assault, and Hate crime

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Classism, Biphobia, Alcohol, Drug use, Deportation, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Torture

librarymouse's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative medium-paced

5.0

This book was written with tact and empathy for the victims and their families. The author made sure to seek the help of those whose loved ones he was working to memorialize, to ensure that the attempt at enshrining them wasn't instead causing harm. Missing from the Village addresses issues of community, and the explores the amorphous idea that community exists inherently among people who share a marginalized identity. The book calls into question the organization and priorities of the Toronto police, and offers solutions to the issues inherent in how the current system treats cases outside of the purview of general policing, especially missing persons cases. These issues allowed a killer to slip away from punishment for decades. Despite living in an area of the United States that is close to Canada, I don't have much more than a cursory insight into Canadian social issues and politics, and I'm astounded by the policing, harassment, and profiling issues that still plague queer and other marginalized populations.
I'm glad to have read this book.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Police brutality, Racism, Mental illness, Murder, Death of parent, Deportation, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Cannibalism, Gore, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Infidelity, Drug abuse, Grief, Homophobia, and Sexual content

Minor: Gun violence

soobooksalot's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective tense medium-paced

4.0

"Even today, you can still literally get away with murder. If your victim is queer."
 Missing From The Village chronicles the disappearances and murders of eight Toronto-area men in the early-mid 2010s, the similarities between them being part of the LGBTQ+ community. And being acquainted with killer Bruce McArthur.
 Journalist Justin Ling acquaints readers with each of the victims, giving more page space to them than he who murdered them.
 It's a testiment to the importance of their lives, as well as the failings of the system that took years to even identify that the deaths were linked. Multiple men were never even reported missing. McArthur's name wasn't in the system despite violent incidents years prior.
 It's a timely read and one that illustrates the continual need for change, right in our own country. 
 For true crime fans seeking a Canadian-based read, recommended!

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Sexual violence, Hate crime, Murder, Outing, and Transphobia

notthatlibrarian's review against another edition

dark emotional informative slow-paced

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Transphobia

Moderate: Addiction, Blood, Drug use, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Stalking, and Xenophobia

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, and Pedophilia

Some of the victims were not out as queer at the time of their death and were outed during the investigation. Although many details of their lives are public record, it is still uncomfortable at times to read about, knowing they cannot give consent. Although the information related to the victims is handled sensitively, and the case is not sensationalized, it is difficult to read about certain events and details regarding the case without major discomfort.