A review by biblio_kel
Beast: Werewolves, Serial Killers, and Man-Eaters: The Mystery of the Monsters of the Gévaudan by Gustavo Sanchez Romero, S. R. Schwalb
dark
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
3.75
An interesting recounting of the events that occurred in the Gévaudan region of France between 1764 to 1769 where someone or something slaughtered over a hundred people, mostly women and children.
Was it a beast? A wolf? A were-wolf? A murderous lord with an interest in training exotic beasts? Or something else?
The truth is, we don't know, but Romero and Schwalb put forth some compelling arguments based on recorded documentation such as letters, eye-witness accounts, newpaper articles, and forensic reports. Focus is also given to the use of media (many consider the story of La Bête (the Beast) to be the world's first media sensation) and the socio-political situation in the region.
The authors walk the reader through the events of those three years and use fictionalised accounts to help the reader visualise the events and gain a better sense of the societal fear that gripped the region.
I really enjoyed to writing style and format of the book although I do appreciate that it does often read more like a PhD thesis than a popular non-fiction text.
Most fans of werewolves will have heard of the Beast of Gévaudan so I definitely recommend this book to them as it gives some nice historical context to the myth.
I also recommend this book to fans of historical mysteries and historical events in general.
Was it a beast? A wolf? A were-wolf? A murderous lord with an interest in training exotic beasts? Or something else?
The truth is, we don't know, but Romero and Schwalb put forth some compelling arguments based on recorded documentation such as letters, eye-witness accounts, newpaper articles, and forensic reports. Focus is also given to the use of media (many consider the story of La Bête (the Beast) to be the world's first media sensation) and the socio-political situation in the region.
The authors walk the reader through the events of those three years and use fictionalised accounts to help the reader visualise the events and gain a better sense of the societal fear that gripped the region.
I really enjoyed to writing style and format of the book although I do appreciate that it does often read more like a PhD thesis than a popular non-fiction text.
Most fans of werewolves will have heard of the Beast of Gévaudan so I definitely recommend this book to them as it gives some nice historical context to the myth.
I also recommend this book to fans of historical mysteries and historical events in general.