Book Review: "Condemned: An Overview of Execution Methods Throughout History" - by Darcia Helle

Condemned: An Overview of Execution Methods Throughout History by Darcia Helle

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I wasn't going to read this book because the idea of reading about execution methods seemed just a bit too dark (even for me... a dark fiction writer!). I did download a copy onto my Kindle, however, to support the writer as she's a brilliant fiction writer and I always enjoy her books. "Condemned" is her first non-fiction book. One day, I started reading it out of curiosity. I know from reading Helle's fiction that she is not someone who includes unnecessary gore in her books, even though she writes quite dark crime fiction. I was hoping that "Condemned" would not be too gruesome. Helle's writing style is engaging and the approach she's taken with this book is a kind of conversational study, looking at the history of execution. Because of the subject matter, there are some upsetting and hard-hitting parts, but I think that the writer has got the balance right so that it's not a painful read but is instead a fascinating one.

It's an eye-opener, both revealing and educational. I learned a lot about how the approach to execution has changed over the centuries, and the different methods that were/are used and why they were developed, etc.

It was interesting to read about how public executions were once a common thing. It really does make you think about human nature. The real life cases that are discussed in the book also make you wonder about the systems that are currently in place. Helle makes it clear in the book that she is against the death penalty but it's not a book about why capital punishment should be scrapped. It's, as the title states, an overview of the past and current systems. Helle has highlighted, using real case studies, many flaws with the lethal injection and electric chair methods that are still in use today in the USA.

This is a well-researched and an informative book. I would recommend it to anyone who would like to find out more about what types of methods of execution exist. It's probably not an exhaustive list but it covers many and varied methods and gives a succinct history. It also includes quotes from many people involved in the whole process, from those who invented the devices/methods to those who carry out, or have carried out, the executions.

"Condemned" is narrated in a clear and concise way. I was hooked from the start.

An insightful and thought-provoking read.



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