Ever notice that a lot of serial killers hail from the Pacific Northwest? This exhaustively researched book puts forth the theory that environmental fEver notice that a lot of serial killers hail from the Pacific Northwest? This exhaustively researched book puts forth the theory that environmental factors, specifically lead poisoning, contributed to the creation of Ted Bundy, Richard Ramirez, Ed Gein, and many other killers.
Pretty convincing stuff, with a history of the industrialization of mining and the horrific effects of pollution on its workers as well as the inhabitants of the towns where factories were based. Many families and children experienced terrible physical, mental, and emotional consequences, plausibly due to the proximity to these areas. It’s fascinating to see the timeline laid out for the environmental factors and historical context woven step by step with various crimes and significant events.
I’d have rated this higher, except:
— it’s a little long — the occasional fantastical asides don’t really fit the narrative (a sudden Jekyll and Hyde reference irritated me, for example) — it might be a little more detailed than it needs to be in describing so many crimes, though what’s there is well done; my assumption is most readers coming into this will know a lot of these cases already, and the minute descriptions, particularly the amount of time spent on Bundy, seem a bit excessive at times — eventually the author’s personal connections (she grew up in the PNW) became intrusive as they kept interrupting the narrative; some of this interesting/fine, but a great deal of it is more personally significant to the author than it is to the reader. I didn’t pick this up because I was interested in the POV of a local and what she was doing as a killer was picking up a girl in his car a few minutes away.
A lot of non-fiction lately seems to suffer from similar issues. If the details aren’t in service of the book as described, or if it’s an anecdote best left to friends or book tours, it can probably be taken out and be better for it.
Still. It’s a great piece of investigative writing and very effective in how it presents crime. Her theory would just be stronger if there weren’t quite so many extraneous details to obscure it.
Audio Notes: Excellent on audio, read by Patty Nieman....more
Enjoyed this at first, but it started losing me in the last third or quarter or so.
The majority of it, the story of a mother and two daughters spanninEnjoyed this at first, but it started losing me in the last third or quarter or so.
The majority of it, the story of a mother and two daughters spanning 40 years, is told in a rapid, often anecdotal style, almost as if you were experiencing a written version of Six Feet Under's signature flash-forward summaries of everyone's future lives. It relies upon memorable characters, distinct plot lines, and decisive word choice and verbiage to seize your attention, and it does so admirably.
Once it starts including more of the granddaughter's story, however, the narratives are diluted and it loses a lot of its focus, especially because it delves more deeply into the minutiae and stated feelings than it previously had. I don't even mind the granddaughter's story, it just isn't as strong to include it structurally or as satisfying, since the other MCs and secondary characters get peripheral treatment. It never really regained it momentum for me and the ending was not nearly as emphatic as it was meant to be.
Stories like this could really use an occasional interjection of wry humor, too. But you can't wish for something like that if it doesn't show up naturally.
Audio Notes: Mostly fine, but towards the end/more expressive parts, it got a little overly emotional, particularly for the content....more
Reading the blurb, this book felt like it was written with me in mind; abuse, cults, and survival are all topics I'm interested in and have read a faiReading the blurb, this book felt like it was written with me in mind; abuse, cults, and survival are all topics I'm interested in and have read a fair amount about, and as a bonus, I am also specifically very familiar with the Angeles National Forest where the author was raised, as well as pretty much every southern Californian city she mentions. I'm also interested in edible gardening and foraging, so I was pretty excited to start listening to the audiobook.
Unfortunately, this one fell short on just about every element. It's tricky to review a memoir with this kind of content, because naturally it's important to be respectful of the real-life experiences described, but I'll try my best to articulate why this didn't resonate with me the way I think it should have.
Firstly, the timeline is all over the place, which requires constant work on the reader's part to retrace steps, jump forward in time, and then backtrack again. It's not very well-organized (and neither is it thematically written), and could have used a lot more shaping of the author's story. The most interesting parts were the chapter openers, which described various items found in nature that could be used for food or medicinal purposes, but even those lack connection to the main narrative; it's only/mostly in the epilogue that you get a little bit more of the way those items were practically used. "Field notes for surviving a cult" is not really an accurate portrayal of the way these things are included.
The experiences with the cult and abuse are also disjointed and lacking in enough substantive detail. Not of the exploitative or salacious kind, but simply in clearly defining specific moments or anecdotes that put the reader into the author's shoes--not to mention observation, how she felt, what she thought during/after/with time, etc., nor even much on how other women and children were affected. (There are some hints with the author's mother, but not much and not enough. Missed opportunity to explore more complex issues and deeper emotion.)
I'm assuming writing about a personal experience is usually cathartic for the writer, but for readers who are familiar with other books on cults or abuse, this one doesn't really offer much in the way of new insights or emotion. I've no doubt the author endured a great deal, and I certainly respect her survival and resilience. But as a book, and as a contribution to the collective memory of this kind of trauma, this one could have used a lot more development.
Audio Notes: For me, authors reading their own books is rarely a great experience. I sampled the audio and thought it would be okay, but as the book progressed, it felt sort of jarring to listen to these sorts of books narrated with such upbeat, light delivery. I think a different voice and style would have suited it better. ...more
Wendy Darling
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