The Fact Of A Body

Goodreads Description

Before Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich begins a summer job at a law firm in Louisiana, working to help defend men accused of murder, she thinks her position is clear. The child of two lawyers, she is staunchly anti-death penalty. But the moment convicted murderer Ricky Langley’s face flashes on the screen as she reviews old tapes―the moment she hears him speak of his crimes―she is overcome with the feeling of wanting him to die. Shocked by her reaction, she digs deeper and deeper into the case. Despite their vastly different circumstances, something in his story is unsettlingly, uncannily familiar. Crime, even the darkest and most unsayable acts, can happen to any one of us. As Alexandria pores over the facts of the murder, she finds herself thrust into the complicated narrative of Ricky’s childhood. And by examining the details of Ricky’s case, she is forced to face her own story, to unearth long-buried family secrets, and reckon with a past that colors her view of Ricky's crime. But another surprise awaits: She wasn’t the only one who saw her life in Ricky’s. An intellectual and emotional thriller that is also a different kind of murder mystery, THE FACT OF A BODY is a book not only about how the story of one crime was constructed―but about how we grapple with our own personal histories. Along the way it tackles questions about the nature of forgiveness, and if a single narrative can ever really contain something as definitive as the truth. This groundbreaking, heart-stopping work, ten years in the making, shows how the law is more personal than we would like to believe―and the truth more complicated, and powerful, than we could ever imagine.

My Review

Wow, this is a difficult book to review. It almost feels wrong to talk about having loved this book or to say how much I enjoyed it. The difficult subject matter makes these descriptions seem ill advised and insensitive. But I really have no other words to describe how potent and interesting I found this read to be.

From the book blurb it's clear that this book is about a murder and about the author's legal career. But let me tell you, this book is so much more than that. In fact, the author's legal career actually takes second or maybe even third place to the other themes running through this book. Ultimately, this is a book about two stories: the murder of 6 year old Jeremy by child molester, Ricky Langley, and also about the author's difficult and traumatic past.

You'd be correct is wondering how the author's memoir can link to the murder of a 6 year old boy, especially when the author wasn't involved in the case in any way. Well, trust me, the author does a superb job of linking the two stories and of showing the reader how our perception of events, and even of right and wrong, is strongly influenced by our own experiences.

I found this book to be a fantastic read. But I must warn you, the subject matter discussed in this book is difficult. The author never sensationalizes the difficult topics, but I can say with certainty that some readers may battle with the themes. So, just as a word of warning, this book deals extensively with child abuse, sexual molestation of children, pedophilia, murder and the pressure placed on children to keep the secrets of these sick individuals.

Before reading this book, I really never realized how wide spread the problem of child abuse is. With my wonderful childhood, it's always been difficult to believe and understand that other children are having such a different experience to mine. And here I must commend the author for her bravery and strength of spirit in coming forward and disclosing the traumatic events of her childhood. That must be a very difficult thing to do, and I feel that the author does such a good job of disclosing her past and intertwining it with that of Ricky Langley's.

The thing with this book is that it really leaves you with a lot to think about. Issues like the death penalty, what makes people who they are, how our own experiences lead to our beliefs, such concepts are still bouncing around in my head after finishing this book a short while ago. And I have the feeling that I won't be able to start another book until I've settled my thoughts.

This is a superbly clever and honest memoir. It fascinates the reader in that it does so much more than just tell the author's personal story. It's her story yes, but it's also the story of child molester, Ricky Langley. For any readers that have an interest in true crime, this will be a book that you'll devour. I loved it for many reasons. It is a complex and well written memoir. I flew through the pages. Read it.

My Rating: * * * * *

Publication Date: June 2017 (South Africa)

Genre: Memoir / Non-Fiction

Format: Trade paperback

Source: Review copy received from the publisher. Many thanks to author, Alexandra Marzano-Lesnevich and PanMacmillan SA for my copy. It was my pleasure to read and review this book.