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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: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Alcohol, and War
Moderate: Physical abuse, Racism, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Murder
Minor: Child death, Slavery, and Cannibalism
alisonvh's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Terminal illness, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cannibalism
cityiguana's review against another edition
4.0
Moderate: Animal death, Chronic illness, Violence, Abandonment, and War
Minor: Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, and Cannibalism