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A review by wandering_canuck
Under the Bridge: The True Story of the Murder of Reena Virk by Rebecca Godfrey
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
5.0
The Reena Virk story sits vividly in my memory, so was intrigued to read this book. Written by an journalist cum novelist, this book is a great example of narrative non-fiction.
This tale is an exposé of the teens that committed the crime, and spends little time on Reena's personal story. The author's choice to tell the story from this perspective has resulted in a bit of outrage, with people unhappy that Reena's story gets lost. My opinion is that this perspective was compelling. The book feels honest and fair. Not once did I sense the author was giving anyone a pass on how their violence led directly to Reena's murder.
I did appreciate how the Virks were depicted in this book. Reena's mother, especially, is presented as the epitome of grace. Some of the players have improved their lives and searched for redemption, while others, namely Kelly Ellard, seems far beyond hope of being redeemed.
This tale is an exposé of the teens that committed the crime, and spends little time on Reena's personal story. The author's choice to tell the story from this perspective has resulted in a bit of outrage, with people unhappy that Reena's story gets lost. My opinion is that this perspective was compelling. The book feels honest and fair. Not once did I sense the author was giving anyone a pass on how their violence led directly to Reena's murder.
I did appreciate how the Virks were depicted in this book. Reena's mother, especially, is presented as the epitome of grace. Some of the players have improved their lives and searched for redemption, while others, namely Kelly Ellard, seems far beyond hope of being redeemed.