booksandcwtches's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.5
kasiabrenna's review against another edition
4.0
This is a compelling account of the "Central Park Jogger" case and the circumstances that led to 5 young men being tried and convicted of a crime they did not commit. It focuses on the racial aspects of the case and how it was portrayed in the media, as well as the general climate of NYC in the late 80s. I was young at the time so I had a vague memory of many of the events discussed, so it was very interesting to read about them more fully. I thought the author offered a good analysis of the crime and the trial as well as the social context. I had to set the book down many times in disgust at the NYPD, the prosecutors, and the legal system. They were so focused on the goal of convicting the accused boys that they ignored facts, evidence, and neglected to do any actual detective work. The fact that the Prosecutor and the NYPD were still asserting that they were guilty after DNA evidence and the real perpetrators confession cleared them says it all. A very infuriating tale that made me damn glad not to be living in NYC in 1989.
tifferschang's review against another edition
3.0
Burns' book about the Central Park Five is detailed and thorough. She seeks to provide as many facts and paint as accurate a picture of the events that had unfolded. But Burns' own bias is hard to ignore. She does not try to hide this bias, and while I happen to agree with her point of view, I could not help but think throughout the novel that hindsight is 20/20 - it is easy to criticize this case with the technology that we have presently and for the major fact that someone else confessed to the crime. Her bias will make it difficult to convince others who may not be as open to admitting the racial tensions that were at play during this case.
cver's review against another edition
4.0
A must read after watching When They See Us. A must read in general actually. White people are the worst!!
books4em's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
3.0
This book is very informative about the Central Park Jogger case and the racism that is deeply embedded in the criminal justice system. The author did both the case, the survivor, and the wrongfully-accused justice via her detailed analysis of the crime and the aftermath for the Central Park Five.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Murder, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Racism and Racial slurs
zecaina's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.75