A review by m0beam
The Five: The Lives of Jack the Ripper's Women by Hallie Rubenhold

5.0

I have a major crush on this book. If you love nerding out about Victorian-era England, this book will meet all your needs. Hallie Rubenhold does an incredible job of making tangible the reality of social outcasts, and especially lower class women, during this time period. I LOVE how this book is all about the victims, not the infamous Jack the Ripper himself. In fact, it's not even really about the tragic murders--it's about their lives before. I am thoroughly impressed considering how much research this must have entailed, given that there wasn't much record of these women before their murders. And yet, Rubenhold supplements this with information about their neighborhoods, living conditions, social restraints, all of which make you feel like you know the world that they lived in and know the struggles they faced. Wow, basically Rubenhold crushed it and I wish I could read it again with fresh eyes. Can't wait to see what she writes next.