A review by thenextgenlibrarian
The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold

informative sad slow-paced

2.5

A nonfiction account of the women who lost their lives to Jack the Ripper.
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Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Catherine and Mary-Jane are famous for being the victims of the slaying that occurred in London, 1888 at the hands of the never-caught murderer Jack the Ripper. They each had lives before their deaths made them infamous. Historian Hallie Rubenhold shares their stories before Jack the Ripper ended them.
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Having been obsessed with the story of Jack the Ripper after taking the tour in London this summer, I thought this book would help feed my new obsession, but unfortunately I found it dry, like most nonfiction I read. I want it told with drama, intrigue, along with the history elements. I think I need a podcast instead of a true crime book. I also found the author’s research lacking and her assumptions leaning towards fiction more often than not.

CW: death, murderer, prostitution, medical content, blood, alcohol, alcoholism, dismemberment, body horror, sexual assault, homelessness, poverty, classism