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A review by machuvicchu
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou
informative
fast-paced
4.5
I've been tuning in and out of the Theranos and Elizabeth Holmes case since John Carreyrou's first article came out, so what a coincidence that as I get back into my reading groove and finally get to this book, Holmes has finally been indicted on 4 counts related to fraud just a few hours ago.
I don't think I read enough non-fiction or highly detailed articles to be in the place to rate a book like this, so I took into consideration how much I've learned and my overall feelings and experience while reading.
Business and legal talk is always really daunting for me. I have a background in biology, but the technological aspects could also be intimidating. I think this is why I found the beginning to be a bit dense and difficult, but you can't fault Carreyrou for explaining everything to give proper context.
I can't imagine how difficult it is to form a narrative on only bits and fragments of a company that was an ever-moving revolving door, but the sequence and order of the accounts Carreyrou describes worked well.
Hearing the highlight points of this case, it is difficult to come to the conclusion of how Elizabeth Holmes, Sunny Balwani, and others in Theranos were able to get away with their charade for so long. The reiteration of her charisma and charm with her big blue eyes don't really hold any weight for me, and left me almost frustrated. For the tens of investors and board of directors that were "bewitched" by her, there were just as many who questioned her ethics and practices. This story is a big lesson to not let those in power go unchecked, and I'm grateful for the whistleblowers who spoke up, because who knows how much worse things could have gotten if not for them.
I don't think I read enough non-fiction or highly detailed articles to be in the place to rate a book like this, so I took into consideration how much I've learned and my overall feelings and experience while reading.
Business and legal talk is always really daunting for me. I have a background in biology, but the technological aspects could also be intimidating. I think this is why I found the beginning to be a bit dense and difficult, but you can't fault Carreyrou for explaining everything to give proper context.
I can't imagine how difficult it is to form a narrative on only bits and fragments of a company that was an ever-moving revolving door, but the sequence and order of the accounts Carreyrou describes worked well.
Hearing the highlight points of this case, it is difficult to come to the conclusion of how Elizabeth Holmes, Sunny Balwani, and others in Theranos were able to get away with their charade for so long. The reiteration of her charisma and charm with her big blue eyes don't really hold any weight for me, and left me almost frustrated. For the tens of investors and board of directors that were "bewitched" by her, there were just as many who questioned her ethics and practices. This story is a big lesson to not let those in power go unchecked, and I'm grateful for the whistleblowers who spoke up, because who knows how much worse things could have gotten if not for them.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content