“The victims of Jack the Ripper were never ‘just prostitutes’; they were daughters, wives, mothers, sisters, and lovers. They were women. They were human beings, and surely that in itself is enough.”
Hallie Rubenhold, The Five
Title: The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper
Author: Hallie Rubenhold
Genres: Non-fiction, History, True Crime, Biography
Length: 10 hrs, 19 mins (Audiobook)
Published: February 1st, 2019
My Rating: ★★★★
Read: 5/3/2023 – 5/10/2023
Review:
Behind Jack the Ripper is the lives of his victims. Given the illusiveness of this particular killer, the women he slayed tend to be swept aside. This book gives them a voice.
Each section of the book discusses each woman: Polly, Annie, Elisabeth, Kate, and Mary Jane. We learn about their lives leading up to their murders rather than the murder themselves. Along with the story of their lives, the author provides a detailed history of life in England at the time.
I was initially surprised by the fact Jack the Ripper was hardly mentioned, but I think I ultimately enjoyed the book more because of it. It was incredibly insightful and put a lot of things in perspective. I will say that this was about 60% general history and 40% the five women. While interesting, this did cause the narration to drag at times. It’s worth wading through the slow bits. There is a lot to take in.
Likes & Dislikes:
What I liked:
- The incredible amount of research that went into not only the lives of the five women but also life in England at the time.
- Spectacularly organized.
- Conveyed respectfully.
What I didn’t like:
- Slightly misleading marketing. Yes, this is very much about the five women, but I felt it was more of a general look at life (particularly for women) in this part of the world in Victorian times.
Afterthoughts:
I was so happy to be reading this along with some people from The Global Book Nook on Discord. There were some great discussions. We all took something away from it.