In Cold Blood

Rating:
Summary: A classic with no climax.
Review: While I was enthralled by the words Capote so eloquently put on paper, I was unable to get beyond the fact that there were no surprises awaiting us in this story. While his portraits of both killer and victim are superb, I finished this book expecting more.

Rating:
Summary: Engaging, Moving & Well-Written
Review: Capote is an excellent writer and his timeline in the telling of this sad story is very cleverly constructed. He goes beyond the simple facts of the crime and seeks to truly understand the minds and motivations of the criminals themselves. As a parent I found it excruciatingly difficult to read and actually stopped half way though and picked it back up several months later. As a law student and future prosecutor, I found the analysis of the event interesting and compelling. My impression is that Capote's intention is that the story should transcend the factual elements of the murder of this family and expose the very nature of murder itself. Despite the humanization of the murderers it becomes very clear in my mind that society must protect itself from such persons. The question Capote lays before the reader is-how can we best do this?

Rating:
Summary: "This has to be the greatest book I have ever read!!!!!!!!!"
Review: sorry, your gonna have to read it yourself!! believe me...it's worth the 10 dollars or so.

Rating:
Summary: The Mother of True Crime books
Review: The circumstances that compelled me to pick up a dusty copy of this book from a library shelf, weren't of my own free will (i.e.: a twisted turn of fate, English teachers and research assignments). But I am extraordinarily glad that I looked beyond the tattered cover and read what I would have to say is the best true crime book that I've ever read. The MOTHER of all true crime books! Truman spoke in a narrative of elegance, and elaborate detail that painted a picture that made me feel for the victims, feel for the perpetrators, and just feel for the injustice done unto both by society and 12 gauge shotguns. Unlike a lot of the other true crime books that I've read, this one did not solely rely on shocking depiction's and sensationalism...the crimes in here on our modern scale of macabre can't compete with the horrors of all the gilded punks of the Dahmer & Bundy breed...but they still frightened me and left me asking the perpetual question: "Why?! Oh but things could have been so different...". This is a wonderful book...it made me feel as if I were inside of it.

Rating:
Summary: Beautifully written literature
Review: Read it simply for the writing's sake. Enthralling

Rating:
Summary: It makes you want to keep on reading!
Review: In Cold Blood is a great book with intereting twists to the plot. The reason for the quadruple murders remains a mystery until later in the book. Interesting characters and very detailed descriptions of events.

Rating:
Summary: In Cold Blood is 'Hot Stuff'
Review: I initially became aware of this book during reading Bill Bryson 'The Lost Continent:Journeys in small town America', where he visited Holcomb and discussed the Clutter murders. I felt compelled to read 'In Cold Blood' and was not dissappointed. Mr Capote manages to write a fantastic book that gives a fascinating insight into the mentality of the killers. It also demonstates to an extent the damaging consequences of the polarisation of society, between the 'haves' and the 'havenots'. This is a real page-turner that will send shivers down your spine!

Rating:
Summary: Junior Opinion '99
Review: I read this book for my English class and i found it kind of boring, the only thing that wasn't boring was the ten pages that told abour the murder, how it happened. If it was up to me I would deffenetly not read this book any more...

Rating:
Summary: Forced to read it ; good choice on my teachers half
Review: I had to read In Cold Blood for my American Literature class and it is by far the best book my somewhat psycho teacher has had me read. Now the woman is making me write a five to six page report on Truman Capote's writting. Back to the book. I found his style of writting to be somewhat boring in a sense. His writing style just doesn't float my boat. I gave it a five star rating for one fact and one fact only, the plot. One can get lost or bored to certain plots and stories ( "The Ax" Donald E. Westlake) but this book has a great plot. Just imagine if Steven King wrote it instead.

Rating:
Summary: The classic study in Murder - never bettered - only copied
Review: It is impossible for anyone who claims to understand literature to give this book anything but top marks - it is the classic in the genre of true crime writing - mimicked by so many since. If you give this less than top marks - then you should examine yourself - and your ability to differentiate between classic writing and good writing. Here is a good test - go into the crime section of any bookstore and look on the back cover of the books. I guarantee you will find many that state ' best book since Capote's 'In Cold Blood'. Publishers know it, authors know it - this book deserves a full 5 stars