A review by emma_ekb
Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

dark mysterious tense 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

“There are millions of men out there who want to hurt women—people seem to think that Ansel Packer is extraordinary, because he actually did.” 

wowwwwwwww. i couldn’t put this book down. the story is essentially a critique of modern true crime narratives: the story of a serial killer, told primarily through the women who knew him or survived him. 

other key themes/questions: 
- what is the line between good and evil? can one person ever truly be just evil, or just good?
- nature v. nurture: how much does our past define our future?
- how do our individual choices affect the course of our lives and in turn, the course of history?
- what is justice? is achieving or finding justice even possible?
- how do we as a society treat victims? 
- who remembers us when we’re gone? how can we be remembered without those who love us?

the author writes with such precision and poetry - i just love the way she describes things and how she seems to capture so many tiny details in so few words. more than anything, this book made me think. 

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