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mahmabaer's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.5
I am a practical person. I enjoy a fact-based, to the point, and unelaborative narrative, and David King almost delivers.
The story of serial killer Dr. Marcel Petiot is a series of twists and turns that would have even modern mystery writers scratching their heads and not sure how this story is actually true. This story of deceit, disguise, cruelty, theatrics, patriotism and barbarism takes place in 1940s Paris, where apparently everyone spent their lives smoking, drinking and having elicit affairs (I think the story mentioned as many lovers for these people as there were victims of the accused!), and yet, this is in the middle of the German occupation of France and the Nazis -- the Nazis! -- play almost no part! They're less something to fear and more a plot point!
I am docking points for a couple of reasons. Randomly, the author will sidetrack into stories about other famous people, such as Albert Camus and Pablo Picasso, who were living in Paris at the time that really have nothing to do with the case, and then their story is disregarded completely in the last third of the book, so their story does not really need to be here. Also, in the Epilogue, a crucial piece of information is revealedin which we have testimony for one of the only the people to escape from Petoit's dungeon and the author just... doesn't finish the story! He is going along telling a crucial moment in which a young man is experiencing a poisonous gas and is in chains and then he sidelines to explain to us what the gas does to the human body and how the Nazis too used it at Aushwitz and he never goes back to tell us how the young man escaped the mad doctor's poison room !!! What the heck?!
Overall, an excellent, well researched and wild true story that leaves you with questions and speculations, that probably coulf have done with another glance through by an editor.
The story of serial killer Dr. Marcel Petiot is a series of twists and turns that would have even modern mystery writers scratching their heads and not sure how this story is actually true. This story of deceit, disguise, cruelty, theatrics, patriotism and barbarism takes place in 1940s Paris, where apparently everyone spent their lives smoking, drinking and having elicit affairs (I think the story mentioned as many lovers for these people as there were victims of the accused!), and yet, this is in the middle of the German occupation of France and the Nazis -- the Nazis! -- play almost no part! They're less something to fear and more a plot point!
I am docking points for a couple of reasons. Randomly, the author will sidetrack into stories about other famous people, such as Albert Camus and Pablo Picasso, who were living in Paris at the time that really have nothing to do with the case, and then their story is disregarded completely in the last third of the book, so their story does not really need to be here. Also, in the Epilogue, a crucial piece of information is revealed
Overall, an excellent, well researched and wild true story that leaves you with questions and speculations, that probably coulf have done with another glance through by an editor.
annashiv's review against another edition
4.0
Sometimes difficult to get to due to the amount of names and details, it is still worth a read. It gives more of an insight of Paris during the occupation than of the mind of a serial killer, but those two points aren't exclusive. The serial killer couldn't have done what he did without Paris being occupied. If you are interested in crime and history, especially in relation to WWII, then give it a read.
catbrigand's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely riveting. I kept asking myself how such a person could truly be real.
mrsbear's review
4.0
Can you say sicko? This book turned my stomach. Read the full review on my blog
labunnywtf's review
3.0
I definitely need to read more light material.
This was a surprisingly good book. It opens with so much rich information that really keeps the interest, but as the story progresses, it starts to slow down. The book is weighed down with the normal TMI format that happens with True Crime books, where we know everything about every single player in the story.
But along with telling the story of Petoit, we also get the story of the Nazi occupation of Paris. This is a lot of information that I didn't know, because while I enjoyed my history classes, I didn't retain all that much information.
The story itself is absolutely heartbreaking. The author does a really amazing job of pointing out that Petoit didn't genuinely get a fair trial, but he also makes it known that yeah, this guy was guilty as hell.
The idea of these people thinking they were escaping this horrible life, only to be murdered by this horrible monster. It's just absolutely heartbreaking.
Also? Didn't know the guillotine was used in Paris until 1977. Wow.
This was a surprisingly good book. It opens with so much rich information that really keeps the interest, but as the story progresses, it starts to slow down. The book is weighed down with the normal TMI format that happens with True Crime books, where we know everything about every single player in the story.
But along with telling the story of Petoit, we also get the story of the Nazi occupation of Paris. This is a lot of information that I didn't know, because while I enjoyed my history classes, I didn't retain all that much information.
The story itself is absolutely heartbreaking. The author does a really amazing job of pointing out that Petoit didn't genuinely get a fair trial, but he also makes it known that yeah, this guy was guilty as hell.
The idea of these people thinking they were escaping this horrible life, only to be murdered by this horrible monster. It's just absolutely heartbreaking.
Also? Didn't know the guillotine was used in Paris until 1977. Wow.
elisebrancheau's review
3.0
Very interesting story, although I felt rather unsatisfied with the ending; of course this is nonfiction so the ending couldn't really be different. I also got a bit lost amongst all the French names and multiple characters, but all in all, a good story.