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v_v_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
3.75
liked the bit about how one guy was married to his step mother after his fathers death and they had to keep it quiet at first because the neighbors raised a bunch of money for her, and after they heard she was shacked up with her stepson they were less pleased and wanted the donations back
one guy rented lawyers robes and wig to sneak into the court room and get good seats during the trial
descriptions of London in a transitional period- the condition of droves of animals being herded through streets for sale like it was a cattle market that simultaneously had to serve as a roadway for pedestrians, the plethora of professional beggars who had a special schtick to earn more money- as these things changed and the city "improved" these things went away and people both liked the improvements and mourned the changing character of the city just like people do with things like Time Square today.
so much callousness, bodies were not property and so grave robbers left goods to avoid legal charges but the body snatching itself was taboo and would get them vigilante justice enacted on them. the doctors were in the habit of looking the other way and bailing their suppliers out if they got caught to keep their own good names. vivisectionists were scum even at the time. the eternal struggle between rich and poor, scientists and laypeople, traditionalists and reformers and the times that cause people to stop to care about one particular tragedy amid the ocean of daily crimes that must have been happening.
one guy rented lawyers robes and wig to sneak into the court room and get good seats during the trial
descriptions of London in a transitional period- the condition of droves of animals being herded through streets for sale like it was a cattle market that simultaneously had to serve as a roadway for pedestrians, the plethora of professional beggars who had a special schtick to earn more money- as these things changed and the city "improved" these things went away and people both liked the improvements and mourned the changing character of the city just like people do with things like Time Square today.
so much callousness, bodies were not property and so grave robbers left goods to avoid legal charges but the body snatching itself was taboo and would get them vigilante justice enacted on them. the doctors were in the habit of looking the other way and bailing their suppliers out if they got caught to keep their own good names. vivisectionists were scum even at the time. the eternal struggle between rich and poor, scientists and laypeople, traditionalists and reformers and the times that cause people to stop to care about one particular tragedy amid the ocean of daily crimes that must have been happening.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, and Child death
staticdisplay's review
4.0
a very interesting read. a ton of research must have gone into this. the text was, at times, confusing - there is a lot of contradictory information and some digressions into contemporary societal issues and history. it certainly seems like an absolutely filthy place and a brutal time to try to live if you're not financially comfortable.
xxstefaniereadsxx's review
dark
informative
medium-paced
4.0
This book was slightly multi-faceted in that it discussed the specific case of a very recently deceased 14 year old street orphan. Living on the street during this time period was exceptionally tough and miserable, as there were not a lot of resources available for homeless people, not to mention the filth of the city. It also did a great overview of the whole concept and profession of body snatching. (I would like to say that has become less common in this modern age, but there was just an article out about a doctor who sold parts donated to science to oddity collectors, who when bedazzled and sold them.) Body snatching was exceptionally common during this period, due to the need of medical and science colleges who were teaching anatomy. Another term for body snatching that may be more familiar to some is grave robbing. Bodies would often be exhumed shortly after burial when the ground was easier to dig and the bodies weren't terribly decayed.
I picked this book up at the library while I was waiting on my girls to finish their event. I like historical crime books like this, and it reminded me of a Kate Summerscale book, so I thought I would try it out. This book was well researched, and painted a very grim picture of what like in 1800s London was like. I am glad to know that the quality of life has improved for many people, and that it isn't nearly as filthy as this book described it to be. Society has come a little way from living in absolute squalor, so that is a comforting take away from this book. I was familiar with the concept of body snatching, but I appreciated the detailed information that this book provided on the subject. The three body snatching men that were the focus of this book were interesting people to learn about as well. If you are into older crime cases or morbid history, give this book a try.
I picked this book up at the library while I was waiting on my girls to finish their event. I like historical crime books like this, and it reminded me of a Kate Summerscale book, so I thought I would try it out. This book was well researched, and painted a very grim picture of what like in 1800s London was like. I am glad to know that the quality of life has improved for many people, and that it isn't nearly as filthy as this book described it to be. Society has come a little way from living in absolute squalor, so that is a comforting take away from this book. I was familiar with the concept of body snatching, but I appreciated the detailed information that this book provided on the subject. The three body snatching men that were the focus of this book were interesting people to learn about as well. If you are into older crime cases or morbid history, give this book a try.
yorkslass70's review
5.0
I found this book to be absolutely gripping, it really immerses you in the grim and sometimes gory underbelly of Regency London. It's full of fascinating insights into the lives of poor Londoners who were just trying to get by and shocking in the way life was held so cheap.
You could almost imagine the story turning up in a volume by Charles Dickens. This is the second book I've read by this author and this is as well researched as the first, the level of detail and description meant that I really enjoyed it, if enjoyed is the right word to use in describing a book about bodysnatching and murder.
You could almost imagine the story turning up in a volume by Charles Dickens. This is the second book I've read by this author and this is as well researched as the first, the level of detail and description meant that I really enjoyed it, if enjoyed is the right word to use in describing a book about bodysnatching and murder.
jodiguerra's review
3.0
Very ambitious book examining a variety of fields and themes in 1830s England: social mores, cultural dynamics, poverty, power, medicine, police/forensic science, etc. The author manages to hold it together, but the cast of characters is huge. A glossary of people's names or even some sort of graphic with the various players would be helpful.