Scan barcode
chels_ro's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, and Abandonment
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Alcoholism, Drug use, Racism, Police brutality, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, and Death of parent
finch_26's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, and Abandonment
Moderate: Death, Racism, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Police brutality
izypup's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Grief, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Police brutality, Stalking, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
imogenlj's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Abandonment
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Drug abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Car accident, and Death of parent
saucy_bookdragon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A gripping story that dives into the psyche of a killer and the women he impacted. It tackles questions around topics such as law enforcement and the death penalty with complexity. It’s a tragedy that constantly has the reader questioning the inevitability of it all and how should justice actually work.
The character work is the standout. Everyone has such strong motives and richness to them so that the themes aren’t abstract, they’re palpable problems the cast grapples with. A mother who had to destroy her family to save herself, a sister who knows something is wrong, and a police officer trying to create justice in an inherently broken, unjust system.
The choice to tell the killer’s chapters from second person was fascinating. By putting the reader in his shoes, it emphasizes the fact that humans are the ones who commit atrocities, not monsters. This does an exceptional job of making him complex and real while not downplaying any of his horrendous actions. It also makes the questions around justice that much more relevant.
Both empathetic and terrifying, Notes on an Execution surely had me making odd faces as I listened to the ending in public. No one aware that I was listening to something so mind bending.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Moderate: Hate crime, Racism, Sexism, and Police brutality
lyshbish's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Drug use, Suicide, Blood, Police brutality, and Death of parent
scifi_rat's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol
desiderium_incarnate's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
There are millions of men out there who want to hurt women - people seem to think that Ansel Packer is extraordinary, because he actually did.
This book was amazing! Yes it's incredibly dark and it hurts but it is so skillfully written and immersive and makes so much sense, I am pretty much in awe. The cover also makes so much sense when you read it and that's really cool. I didn't give it 5 stars because of a principle I have, if animals get unnecessarily hurt or die in a story, it isn't 5 stars,but yeah otherwise I fully recommend it. It really gives you a new perspective on the obsession people have with murderers or serial killers specifically - is the murderer really the most important thing about that? Is it most interesting, what made them like this? How their psyche works? What would be if they wouldn't have made those decisions? How they impacted the people around them and vice versa?
The book is not pro death penalty or police it shows flaws in the system, it also isn't against reporting on serial killers, it is just in some ways a comfort, hope, warning and another perspective from death row as well as from impacted outsiders left behind and I think that is all it should be.
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
kananineko's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Incest, Pedophilia, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
sangsmiles's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Violence, Police brutality, and Murder
Minor: Racism