A review by clairebartholomew549
Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I did not expect to find this book as absolutely profound as I did. At first I wasn't bought into the premise at all - our society has a twisted emphasis and fascination with serial killers, when they represent a tiny portion of those trapped in our oppressive and violent criminal "justice" system, and I have never been a true crime aficionado. But I thought the emphasis on the women impacted by Ansel's violence was masterful. How they tried to make sense of Ansel's evil acts, how their lives were irrevocably changed, how they felt invisible, how the complication of Ansel as a person affected how they viewed other people and what they were looking for, etc. Every woman's perspective offered something different, and I was riveted by their ruminations on goodness and violence. On the other hand, I don't know how to feel about the inclusion of Ansel's chapters. They were all much shorter than the women's perspectives, and overall the focus stayed firmly on the women, but I felt like it detracted a bit from Kukafka's apparent purpose. But I also saw the point of it - I am staunchly against the death penalty and putting people in jail and prison at all, and it's important to humanize even those who have been convicted of heinous crimes. It makes you wonder how different Ansel's life would be if he had access to high-quality mental health care, did not end up in foster care, and/or otherwise learned empathy and caring. I really believe that almost all crime is a result of social forces, and it does make you think a lot. Overall, this one really hit me hard - thank you to Rebecca for the recommendation!

The choice to end the book with how Izzy, Angela, Lila, and Jenny would have liked to be remembered was incredibly moving. It really drove home the theme that we are so enthralled by murderous men, and the women they hurt get completely forgotten and erased.