kimmykelly's review against another edition
4.0
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, War, Classism, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, Murder, Abandonment, Cannibalism, Body horror, Cultural appropriation, Gore, Gun violence, and Violence
katiemack's review against another edition
4.5
Grann relies on admittedly conflicting accounts from those on both sides (some from the mutineers, some from the captain’s final crew), but he does an admiral job balancing these viewpoints. He also adds depth to what is, essentially, a true crime story about a shipwreck by discussing the broader implications of imperialism and racism that affected not only this crew, but also other militaristic endeavors by the British.
It’s short—the story itself is maybe 250 pages—so it’s worth a read if you’re at all interested in history.
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: War and Racism
Minor: Cannibalism
theabee's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Terminal illness and Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Cannibalism, Slavery, War, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Animal death, Colonisation, and Murder
c_serpent's review against another edition
4.0
This book contains disturbing cruelty against people and animals.
Unrelated, I think it's ridiculous that I picked up Killers of the Flower Moon and then learned that it was being made into a movie with Leo DiCaprio, and then I picked up this book only to learn it, also, is being made into a movie with Leo DiCaprio. What's up with that?
Four stars have been awarded for Byron, who was really trying his best. One star has been removed and eaten by the other stars.
Total Score: 4/5 stars
Graphic: Violence, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Cannibalism, Colonisation, and Medical trauma
maison's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Colonisation, Classism, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Violence, Racism, Alcohol, and War
Moderate: Slavery, Racial slurs, and Animal death
Minor: Cannibalism and Child death
mondovertigo's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Abandonment, Cannibalism, Animal death, Death, and Colonisation
Moderate: Body horror, Violence, Slavery, Racism, War, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Medical trauma
Minor: Blood, Vomit, and Excrement
jordan_e's review against another edition
4.5
Moderate: Death and Violence
Minor: Murder, Gun violence, and Cannibalism
bibliomania_express's review against another edition
5.0
The story of the Wager is heartbreaking and amazing, with falliable human ingenuity and the unrelenting power of hope coming up against the forces of nature, disease, delerium, and himan depravity.
I really enjoyed Grann's writing. He made the story feel engaging as a living narrative rather than a historical account. I also appreciated how he took the time to call out the intrisic racism and imperialist motives of the venture. He made space for the indigenous peoples of South America, the African slave trade, and even class divides amongst the British.
I was mainly surprised by how the court martial ended, and I appreciated Grann's discussion of why it went the way it did.
Overall, a fantastic book.
Graphic: Death, Medical trauma, Animal cruelty, Animal death, War, Medical content, Violence, Chronic illness, Xenophobia, Gun violence, Blood, and Alcohol
Moderate: Murder, Terminal illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Torture, Racism, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Slavery, Child death, and Cannibalism
marioosa517's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, Racism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Blood, Gun violence, Death, Murder, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Alcohol, Animal death, War, Excrement, Cannibalism, Confinement, Vomit, and Child death
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
emily_koopmann's review against another edition
4.25
Moderate: Violence, Racism, Gun violence, Death, and Injury/Injury detail