Killer Moms: True Stories by Amanda R WoomerMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Narrated by Courtney Patterson
Presented by Highbridge Audio
Some interesting stories here, though some are quite dated.
This book compiles cases where mothers have killed their child/children sorted by reasons - for love, for money, for the child's sake, etc.
Some of the tales are gruesome, some heartbreaking, and all tragic. The death of a child is always sad, but at the hands of a parent? Unspeakable horror.
I really enjoyed how this broke down the details and took and empathetic view when needed. For example, some of the stories detail a psychosis in the mother which convinced them their child needed to die - this book tells the story while expressing how much the woman needed help and support. I liked that, while this presented the facts of the cases, it also took time to consider perspectives and the greater emotional and psychological experiences.
I did find some of the older cases a little frustrating just in how dated they were, and how little could be known. Some frustrate purely just because of far technology has advanced in order to catch criminals, and the comparison of, 'If this happened today ...' was quite brutal in its implications.
The narrator did a great job of presenting the cases with empathy but not overactive emotion. A great balance of factual delivery and considerate tones. I quite enjoyed the listen.
There are a LOT of stories, and I feel like this could have benefited from less stories with more details. That said, I acknowledge I'm not sure how much extra detail there might be available. But with this many cases, they do begin to blend, and the quantity means they lose a bit of the impact. I did find my thoughts wandering if I listened for too long at a time. It may be better to read/listen to only a few cases in one go.
Still, an insightful look at some of the most heinous crimes, and why mothers might be driven to such extreme ends as murdering their children.
With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC
View all my reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment