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A review by swalk
Starvation Heights: The Chilling True Story of the Doctor Who Starved Her Patients to Death by Gregg Olsen
dark
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
2.75
In 1910 Linda Burrfield Hazzard is the foremost Fasting Specialist in Tacoma. She advertises herself as an expert in fasting & dietic care, which can be utilised as the cure for any ailment, mental, physical, and moral.
Wealthy British heiresses Dora & Claire Williamson are living in America when they discover one of Hazzard’s books. Becoming enthralled by the concepts and having some minor illness, they decide to write to the specialist for advice. By 1911 both women have agreed to go to her sanitarium - Wilderness Heights for intensive treatment to be transformed into peak physical health.
Once under Hazzard’s care for some time, the specialist began to tell many of her patients that she should be responsible for storing their valuables and land deeds for safekeeping, She was also in charge of their communications, essentially cutting them off from the outside world and taking charge of all property and affairs.
Whilst this is obviously an excellently researched book, retelling the devastating stories of people under the care of Linda Hazzard. I feel like it is much longer than necessary with quite a few inane details and repeats included. In my opinion it would be better if it was edited down to at most 2/3 the length.
The narrator is reasonably good, but has some rather questionable accents.
Wealthy British heiresses Dora & Claire Williamson are living in America when they discover one of Hazzard’s books. Becoming enthralled by the concepts and having some minor illness, they decide to write to the specialist for advice. By 1911 both women have agreed to go to her sanitarium - Wilderness Heights for intensive treatment to be transformed into peak physical health.
Once under Hazzard’s care for some time, the specialist began to tell many of her patients that she should be responsible for storing their valuables and land deeds for safekeeping, She was also in charge of their communications, essentially cutting them off from the outside world and taking charge of all property and affairs.
Whilst this is obviously an excellently researched book, retelling the devastating stories of people under the care of Linda Hazzard. I feel like it is much longer than necessary with quite a few inane details and repeats included. In my opinion it would be better if it was edited down to at most 2/3 the length.
The narrator is reasonably good, but has some rather questionable accents.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Death, and Physical abuse