Janeology by Karen Harrington - Book Review
When mothers kill their children, people want to know why. People want to know how it happens under the watchful eyes of the loved ones who live by their sides. So, when Jane, loving mother of two, one day does the unthinkable and drowns their toddler son, her husband Tom is devastated.
When a prosecutor decides Tom is partially to blame for his son’s death and charges him with “failure to protect,” his attorney proposes a radical defense: he will create reasonable doubt about Tom’s alleged guilt by showing that Jane’s genealogy is the cause of her violence, that Jane inherited her latent violence the way one inherits a talent for music or predisposition to disease. Thus, he will argue, no one could predict or prevent the tragedy, as it was merely waiting to emerge.
Aided by a woman with the power of retrocognition – the ability to see past events through objects once owned by the deceased – the dark-biology theory takes form as we meet eight of Jane’s colorful ancestors spanning decades and continents.
In Janeology, Karen Harrington treads in territory we shudder in horror about when we hear about it in the news. Yet, despite the gruesome topic, her writing style is clear and sweeps us into Tom’s tortured world.
This book wasn’t what I was expecting when I started reading it. Instead of courtroom drama, this is more of a look into family histories and exploring what negative influences passed down through the generations can do to shape our lives. In that context of biology, heredity, and nature versus nurture, this book is quite interesting. The stories are filled with strong characters who inspire strong feelings in the reader.
She takes you back through time and around this family tree, so things can be a tiny bit confusing at times, but it doesn’t distract from the actual text too much, so you can still enjoy the book.
Overall this is a good book but not for everyone. If you’re interested in biographies, genealogy, and the nature versus nurture argument, you’ll be more likely to enjoy this book. However, even if you’re not, this book could be a great introduction for you.
Leave a Reply