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avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition
dark
informative
tense
slow-paced
1.75
The author was an acceptable writer, considering he's an editorial cartoonist, not a professional non-fiction writer.
However, well informative, the book seemed to drag on forever. It was a bit too slow-paced for my liking. I assume he was writing the book, or basing the book on notes, written over many years. I think he should have edited it to make it flow smoother.
The book didn't tell me much I didn't already know, but I'm sure when it originally came out in the 80s it provided new information. If you've listened to a podcast or two on the case, then there's no need to read this book.
Narrator Rating: 2 stars
It felt like they picked a narrator from a trashy true crime documentary. His voice just had that, I'm a creepy, scary, bad man quality to it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, and Stalking
Minor: Cursing, Gore, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
lukereads97's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
I've been a big fan of David Fincher's 2007 film "Zodiac" since I first watched it a few years ago. True crime isn't really my bag, but I've always been enraptured by the mystery of Zodiac, and how it was never properly solved. Graysmith's book is what inspired the screenplay for the film, and his writing is plain-spoken, easy to follow, and crafts an exciting narrative beyond just the straight facts, painting a picture of the nights the crimes occurred beyond reading like some dull procedural. His own theories and investigation definitely point to one particular suspect, probably to give the book some kind of direction beyond "we just don't know", not that it isn't a convincing argument! Some of the theories on Zodiac's motives and psychological profile feel a bit dated, but the book is nearly 35 years old, and the majority of the crimes were committed in the late 60s and early 70s. There were parts when ready when I felt as on edge as I did watching the movie, particularly in scenes where Graysmith is investigating leads alone. I really enjoyed digging a bit deeper!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, and Blood
claravalente's review against another edition
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Hate crime, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Cursing