I think parts of this book did get bogged down in its structure (introduce killer, explain their casefile, plus random name-drops of other killers witI think parts of this book did get bogged down in its structure (introduce killer, explain their casefile, plus random name-drops of other killers with similar backstories that disrupted the flow) but besides that, it was really .. not ENJOYABLE to read, the first two killers especially made me feel sick but interesting? If you like Mindhunter or even just true crime / criminal profiling it's worth reading.
At its very core, the story of Jack the Ripper is a narrative of a killers deep, abiding hatred of women. Our cultural obsession with the mytholog
At its very core, the story of Jack the Ripper is a narrative of a killers deep, abiding hatred of women. Our cultural obsession with the mythology surrounding Jack the Ripper only serves to normalise its particular brand of misogyny. We've grown so comfortable with these stories - the unfathomable male killer - that we've failed to recognise that he continues to walk among us."
I really really admire what the author did here. The Five is such an engaging book, highlighting not only some of the social conditions of the Victorian period, but also finally unveiling the lives of five women whose names and death are immortalised, but whose lives haven't been of much interest to the public. This book not only examines cultural beliefs and ideologies of the period, and acts as a study into Victorian life, but also creates a fascinating picture of five women who we know nothing about aside from their deaths. I was expecting a story about five lives and I got that - but I also got so many more context and information about the Victorian period that I found fascinating.
Rubenhold doesn't attempt to solve the crimes - she just lets the voices of the women speak without contextualising them in their deaths. I thought the way Jack the Ripper is barely mentioned, except in the conclusion, was a powerful way to tell this story and I really appreciated Rubenhold's dedication and research that has gone into finally telling these women's stories.
One thing I particularly enjoyed was Rubenhold's linking of the mythologies around men like JTR, and the violence and abuse against women that continues to plague society. Rubenhold contextualises the deaths in our current culture well - examining how Victorian archetypes of "angel and whore" persist, and the Victorian media's and publication of the Ripper story which was heavily embedded in the idea that bad girls deserve punishment - has also persisted. Rubenhold critiques the mythology around JTR and similar serial killers, questioning why we praise their ~twisted genius~ in getting away with violent crimes against women, whilst also sweeping the victims lives under the rug.
I think some of the reviews saying this book tries to sympathise the victims because they weren't prostitutes isn't exactly what Rubenhold is trying to do. In fact, she explicitly outlines in the conclusion that it doesn't matter whether or not they were sex workers - they didn't deserve to die and they were complex women with whole lives. I think, however, she's trying to deconstruct the trope that all poor women are sex workers, and Jack the Ripper just hated sex workers (which was used to justify which his murders were okay) - when in reality it's more likely he just preyed on vulnerable women.
"In order to gawk at this figure of malevolence, we have stepped over, and in some cases, figuratively kicked, the corpses of the women he killed.
I can only give it a four-star though - because the author engages in a little bit too much conjecture for me. I appreciate how difficult this would have been to piece together and research but that said, some of the assumptions made felt unfounded to me. "She must have felt this", "she must have done this" and similar statements rubbed me a little bit the wrong way. I appreciated Rubenhold trying to humanise the victims by assigning them these feelings and ideas but it strayed a little too far for me. Some of the conclusions felt like reaches. That said, I still think it's clear an enormous amount of research went into this - so I still really enjoyed it despite a few 'uhh' moments from me.
Overall, I highly recommend picking this up if you have an interest in Jack the Ripper, victorian lives -or just want a great insight into five women's who's deaths have far out shadowed their lives in the public consciousness....more
"You’ll be silent forever, and I’ll be gone in the dark."
I kinda love all things murder related - murder podcasts, buzzfeed unsolved, and murder t
"You’ll be silent forever, and I’ll be gone in the dark."
I kinda love all things murder related - murder podcasts, buzzfeed unsolved, and murder tv shows especially .... I've seen almost ALL the "we need to find who has done this murder" show, both the fiction and non fiction ones. There's always something horrific, grim, and weirdly fascinating about murderers and all that. I'm sure people know what I mean.
But I've never actually read a true crime BOOK ... ever? Which is so weird, because books are my favourite medium for entertainment. I'll be Gone in the Dark is my first, and while I have literally nothing to compare it to, I'm sure it's one of my favourite true crime works I'll read.
What struck me about this book was the humanity and sympathy McNamara evokes throughout this book. She forefronts above all the people involved in the case and how the case haunted them. From victims, to families, to law enforcement. I really liked that this managed to explain the details of the case without being gratuitous. I hate when people play true crime like it's just a grisly fiction murder because it's not. McNamara was so perfectly able to capture the sadness and the horror of the cases she detailed which I liked.
Michelle also weaves her own personal experiences throughout the book. I think this was nice, and it definitely helped to humanise the case more. McNamara's frustration with the case was palpable, and it's tragic that she never got to see the arrest of the Golden State killer before she passed away.
However, the tangents into McNamara's life were sometimes distracting. I found myself lost and confused about where things linked up. Further, the book is not in chronological order and so I sometimes was confused with what point we were at in the timeline. I feel if I'd read this physically it may have been easier, but I listened to the audiobook.
Overall this was such an excellent first foray into the world of true crime novels. I definitely intend to read more of these, but am so sad in a way to know it must surely all go down from here since this was so excellent. I see now what all that hype was about.
And lord, does it feel good knowing this absolutely sicko creep got caught. ...more
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