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Reviewed by: Taylor Coonelly, Elementary School Librarian Title: Notes on an Execution Author: Danya Kukafka Publisher: William Morrow
Year: 2022 Good for Grades: 11-Adult Genre/Type of Book: Thriller/Mystery
Content Warnings, or things that other School Librarians should be aware of: Mentions of death/murder, one sex scene, death by lethal injection noted Recommended for a school library: It really depends on the population being serve Reason(s) for choosing the book: I was intrigued by the concept - a story of a male serial killer told from the perspectives of the women in his life who he affected and effected him If you were tasked by the publisher with writing a short quote for the back cover of this book, what would it be: A delightful look into college and relationships, and finding ones voice 'Notes on an Execution' explores humanity's fascination with male serial killers and the dehumanization of their (often) female victims - glorifying all men who want to hurt women and especially those who do it.
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Review:
This book follows the perspective of Ansel Packer, a serial killer, on the day of his execution, as well as mixing in the perspectives of his mother, and two women who are both affected by and effect Ansel's life. Ansel believes that he will be escaping on the way to the execution, with help from a female guard he has seduced. While the hours and minutes count down in his days, we are given flashbacks from the women in his life that illustrate Ansel's upbringing and events that have created the man and murderer he becomes.
I really enjoyed reading this book, and I was very pleased with how the author executed the concept. The focus of the story was really on the women of Ansel's life, as he is unnamed from his perspective, and they are given the voice that drives the backstory forward. Without them, Ansel's life in the story and in the world would be meaningless, and I think that really gets to the heart of the author's point of the story. Serial killers are glorified by people in society, but they really rely on their victims, who are often not the main perspectives of the story and are not humanized. I also thought the device of Ansel's "Theory" was interesting, in which he ponders the idea of multiple universes and the power of choice in one's life. I think it did add to the story, and it gave it an extra layer for the reader to think about. Overall, I really enjoyed the book.
I would recommend this book to a possibly older YA audience, and adults. This book does deal with some heavy topics, and I think that that needs to be kept in mind while thinking about purchasing/reading the book.
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For more information about this book, see the Publishers Website