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A review by beanie_bob
Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by Jon Krakauer
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
5.0
What could I possibly say that would be half as meaningful as what Missoula illustrates?
Extremely well written and researched. The descriptions of the attacks are harrowing but in his commitment to telling the stories of the victims Krakauer is factual. I feel that there is a kindness and respect in that - no euphemisms, no obscuring or minimizing or sensationalizing. He doesn’t let the accused hide behind polite or ambiguous wording. It can be uncomfortable and unpleasant to read, but it’s necessary to clearly communicate the truth.
I thought it was interesting how women formed bonds with each other in the midst of trauma. How women confide with each other and share the burden. How one voice becomes many.
Part of me wishes all high school seniors would read this, but then I wonder if it would make a difference? I think, in this post #MeToo world teenagers and young adults know so much more about rape, assault, abuse, and consent than the youth of the past. The narrative seems to have changed a lot to support victims - but have the numbers actually changed in the wake of increased social awareness?
The least we can do is believe victims. We can hold people accountable for their actions. There is no excuse for rape.
(I think I might go ahead and read everything Jon Krakauer has published. I have Under the Banner of Heaven on my TBR but if that goes well I’ll just add his whole backlog.)
Extremely well written and researched. The descriptions of the attacks are harrowing but in his commitment to telling the stories of the victims Krakauer is factual. I feel that there is a kindness and respect in that - no euphemisms, no obscuring or minimizing or sensationalizing. He doesn’t let the accused hide behind polite or ambiguous wording. It can be uncomfortable and unpleasant to read, but it’s necessary to clearly communicate the truth.
I thought it was interesting how women formed bonds with each other in the midst of trauma. How women confide with each other and share the burden. How one voice becomes many.
Part of me wishes all high school seniors would read this, but then I wonder if it would make a difference? I think, in this post #MeToo world teenagers and young adults know so much more about rape, assault, abuse, and consent than the youth of the past. The narrative seems to have changed a lot to support victims - but have the numbers actually changed in the wake of increased social awareness?
The least we can do is believe victims. We can hold people accountable for their actions. There is no excuse for rape.
(I think I might go ahead and read everything Jon Krakauer has published. I have Under the Banner of Heaven on my TBR but if that goes well I’ll just add his whole backlog.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Medical content