"In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote - Book Review
Summary
"The chilling true crime ''non-fiction novel'' that made Truman Capote''s name, In Cold Blood is a seminal work of modern prose, a remarkable synthesis of journalistic skill and powerfully evocative narrative published in Penguin Modern Classics.
Controversial and compelling, In Cold Blood reconstructs the murder in 1959 of a Kansas farmer, his wife and both their children. Truman Capote''s comprehensive study of the killings and subsequent investigation explores the circumstances surrounding this terrible crime and the effect it had on those involved. At the centre of his study are the amoral young killers Perry Smith and Dick Hickcock, who, vividly drawn by Capote, are shown to be reprehensible yet entirely and frighteningly human."
Review
A friend of mine recommended this book, knowing my interest in true crime and psychology. I must admit, I wasn't familiar with Truman Capote's name or his significance before reading this book, and I initially expected it to be a traditional thriller. However, as the realism of the narrative became evident, I did a quick search and discovered that it is actually a non-fiction novel based on a true crime. This shifted my perspective; the book vividly reenacts details of the crime and attempts to portray the characters involved with great psychological depth.
While I am unsure about the accuracy of the book and the artistic liberties taken, I found the (a)moral unfolding of events to be gruesome enough to send chills down my spine. However, I have to admit that the absence of a conventional mystery element significantly diminished my engagement with the story.
Key Takeaways
- Non-fiction novel about a grisly, landmark true crime
- Offers great psychological insight into the amoral criminals and their thought processes
- Demonstrates the inherent strangeness of human nature
Who Should Read This
Readers interested in true crime and its psychological underpinnings, as well as those who appreciate retellings through a novelistic lens.
Favourite Quotes
"You are a man of extreme passion, a hungry man not quite sure where his appetite lies, a deeply frustrated man striving to project his individuality against a backdrop of rigid conformity. You exist in a half-world suspended between two superstructures, one self-expression and the other self-destruction. You are strong, but there is a flaw in your strength, and unless you learn to control it the flaw will prove stronger than your strength and defeat you. The flaw? Explosive emotional reaction out of all proportion to the occasion . Why? Why this unreasonable anger at the sight of others who are happy or content, this growing contempt for people and the desire to hurt them? All right, you think they’re fools, you despise them because their morals, their happiness is the source of your frustration and resentment. But these are dreadful enemies you carry within yourself—in time destructive as bullets. Mercifully, a bullet kills its victim. This other bacteria, permitted to age, does not kill a man but leaves in its wake the hulk of a creature torn and twisted; there is still fire within his being but it is kept alive by casting upon it faggots of scorn and hate. He may successfully accumulate, but he does not accumulate success, for he is his own enemy and is kept from truly enjoying his achievements."
"Imagination, of course, can open any door—turn the key and let terror walk right in."
Rating
⭐⭐⭐½ (3.5/5 stars)