cass_capital's review against another edition
3.0
This is a wonderfully written book, but as expected it is difficult and emotional book. Thought provoking, not just about how a nation processes bushfires but also on the complexities of the justice system for the disabled. This is a raw story telling. The narration was at times superb and others a bit odd. But so are the ebbs and flows of the investigation and trail this book follows.
starness's review
4.0
Fire in Australia is like a looming omnipresence always lurking in the distance ready to strike at any time. Even though fires are so common place in Australia it was still a major shock to the country when two fires were deliberately lit on the 7th of February 2009 in the State of Victoria causing major devastation.
This book chronicles the timeline from the detectives investigation to catching the culprit and then following the lawyers who had to defend such an openly hated villain all the way to his sentencing. What elevated this book was the superior writing of Chloe Hooper. She covers all the bases to really examine the mind of an arsonist and the relatively impossible odds to find a culprit, the fact that they caught the first suspect fairly quickly was a rarity making way for an open and shut case, but as with most things of this nature it’s not that easy to convict an arsonist especially one with limited mental faculties. The book really makes you question what kind of person could do such an act, there is no standard answer. As the author points out there are many reasons why someone would feel compelled to light a fire ...”There is only the person who feels spiteful, or lonely, or anxious, or enraged, or bored or humiliated, all these things can set a mind..on fire”
This book chronicles the timeline from the detectives investigation to catching the culprit and then following the lawyers who had to defend such an openly hated villain all the way to his sentencing. What elevated this book was the superior writing of Chloe Hooper. She covers all the bases to really examine the mind of an arsonist and the relatively impossible odds to find a culprit, the fact that they caught the first suspect fairly quickly was a rarity making way for an open and shut case, but as with most things of this nature it’s not that easy to convict an arsonist especially one with limited mental faculties. The book really makes you question what kind of person could do such an act, there is no standard answer. As the author points out there are many reasons why someone would feel compelled to light a fire ...”There is only the person who feels spiteful, or lonely, or anxious, or enraged, or bored or humiliated, all these things can set a mind..on fire”
frooblie's review
3.0
I picked up this book after listening to a panel discussion with the author and a philosopher on the nature of evil. Since what attracted me was the larger issues, I suppose it was natural that the book fell a bit flat for me.
The story raises a number of challenging issues, and yet, I felt that it didn’t handle them satisfyingly. When do we get the full-throated discussion of the dissonance of severely punishing an individual for fire-setting while neglecting the chronic damage to the climate by the coal industry, and the long-term failure to keep up with electric grid maintenance? There is definitely discussion of bullying, autism, and the tendency for law enforcement to assume anything different is wrong. I don’t know what I wanted, but this wasn’t quite it. I would have loved to read a book about these issues that used Brendan as a prism. I think that would have been a more impactful book.
The story raises a number of challenging issues, and yet, I felt that it didn’t handle them satisfyingly. When do we get the full-throated discussion of the dissonance of severely punishing an individual for fire-setting while neglecting the chronic damage to the climate by the coal industry, and the long-term failure to keep up with electric grid maintenance? There is definitely discussion of bullying, autism, and the tendency for law enforcement to assume anything different is wrong. I don’t know what I wanted, but this wasn’t quite it. I would have loved to read a book about these issues that used Brendan as a prism. I think that would have been a more impactful book.
shelleygrace's review
5.0
The Arsonist is a sobering look at the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires. It leaves you torn between feeling sympathy towards the perpetrator while also wanting justice for the victims of the blaze.
Chloe Hooper is a master of storytelling; unbiased and insightful, giving each person involved a voice while not being gratuitous or disrespectful in any way. One of the best true crime books I have read in years.
For more reviews, visit Underground Writers: https://bit.ly/2DJJQ9g
Chloe Hooper is a master of storytelling; unbiased and insightful, giving each person involved a voice while not being gratuitous or disrespectful in any way. One of the best true crime books I have read in years.
For more reviews, visit Underground Writers: https://bit.ly/2DJJQ9g
getevied's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, and Death of parent
martymakesgoodmovies's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.0