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laura_nel13's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Suicide, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Classism
samchase112's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Racism, Slavery, Vomit, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Genocide, Suicide, and Cannibalism
torfinn's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cannibalism
mikaylawood's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Cannibalism, and Murder
Moderate: Blood and Medical trauma
Minor: Racism, Slavery, Suicide, and Excrement
koboldmartian's review against another edition
5.0
I do not really have any good experience reading non-fiction so forgive me if this review is not as eloquent, but this was the most gripping and fascinating non-fiction story I have ever read. David Grann's writing is so immersive and clear and painted such a vivid picture of the turmoil, and horrors that these men were put through.
The book is structured beautifully, it flowed well, I was angry at people, I sympathized with people, I was disgusted by what they did or what they had to do, I was all the proper emotions needed to read this book.
This book was so educating and the life that people had to live back then on the ocean is just absolutely terrible. The entire time, I felt pulled by both "parties" involved in this stories and I don't think you can really blame anyone of the decisions made in this situation; it really makes you think about what you would do put in these men's shoes.
I will be picking up Grann's other works to read and this book has opened the floodgates for non-fiction for me. I hope to read more especially if they are this engaging.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
sherlocktomes's review against another edition
5.0
Highly researched, approachable and balanced, this account details the birth and death of The Wager, a ship in 1700’s Britain tasked with colonising and plundering native and non native peoples to increase the British empires hold over the worlds land and resources.
Grann helps paint a vision of the sheer unrelenting and unpredictable nature of the sea, at times you wonder how much more these sailors can endure, and yet the story carries on.
As with KOTFM, I felt I would have liked more commitment from the author towards documenting the extent of the genocidal and colonial actions of so many western countries at this time, particularly their treatment of native peoples who, on the whole, were far more intelligent, resourceful and organised than the people who reduced them to a stereotype of “savages”. I do feel more of a background of the British empire as it stood at that time, and their use of the Navy to do so would have been beneficial for giving more context for the average reader.
Overall, a thorough and very enjoyable read (albeit grim and miserable). 5/5
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Suicide, Medical content, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism, Slavery, and War
abicaro17's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Deportation, and Pandemic/Epidemic
hheartbooks's review against another edition
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
kcbas1's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Racism, Slavery, Suicide, and Cannibalism
ecourtis's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Colonisation and Classism