A review by jenniferlynnkrohn
Jane: A Murder by Maggie Nelson

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

4.25

As someone who enjoys the occasional true crime, I have noticed that books dealing with real life murder tend to reduce the victims to just victims. Even if some time is given to victims' lives, their lives are often framed as though they were fated to be murdered. What I appreciate about Maggie Nelson's Jane: A Murder is that its about reconstructing Nelson's aunt Jane. Nelson is trying to get to know and understand a woman she has never met but whose life and presence is felt in Nelson's life. By using excerpts of Jane's journal, we do not meet someone who has be rendered angelic, too good for this world, by tragedy and memory, but rather a person flawed and full of life. The greatest mystery is not who murdered her, but rather the mystery that all people carry, who she is. 
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