The Trial of Lizzie Borden

De: Cara Robertson

Narrado por: Amanda Carlin

Winner of the New England Society Book Award

“Narrator Amanda Carlin's sober tone captures the criminal trial that followed, detailing the nuances and behavior of both the lawyers and the accused. Carlin's narration retains listeners' attention and guides them faithfully through the trial details and theories of what really happened to the Borden family.” (AudioFile, 2019)

The remarkable new account of an essential piece of American mythology - the trial of Lizzie Borden - based on 20 years of research and recently unearthed evidence.

The Trial of Lizzie Borden tells the true story of one of the most sensational murder trials in American history. When Andrew and Abby Borden were brutally hacked to death in Fall River, Massachusetts, in August 1892, the arrest of the couple’s younger daughter Lizzie turned the case into international news and her trial into a spectacle unparalleled in American history. Reporters flocked to the scene. Well-known columnists took up conspicuous seats in the courtroom. The defendant was relentlessly scrutinized for signs of guilt or innocence. Everyone - rich and poor, suffragists and social conservatives, legal scholars and laypeople - had an opinion about Lizzie Borden’s guilt or innocence. Was she a cold-blooded murderess or an unjustly persecuted lady? Did she or didn’t she?

The popular fascination with the Borden murders and its central enigmatic character has endured for more than 100 years. Immortalized in rhyme, told and retold in every conceivable genre, the murders have secured a place in the American pantheon of mythic horror, but one typically wrenched from its historical moment. In contrast, Cara Robertson explores the stories Lizzie Borden’s culture wanted and expected to hear and how those stories influenced the debate inside and outside of the courtroom. Based on transcripts of the Borden legal proceedings, contemporary newspaper accounts, unpublished local accounts, and recently unearthed letters from Lizzie herself, The Trial of Lizzie Borden offers a window onto America in the Gilded Age, showcasing its most deeply held convictions and its most troubling social anxieties.

©2019 Cara Robertson (P)2019 Simon & Schuster

Great Story!

The story was very interesting but the narration was choppy and sometimes slow. Made it difficult to focus on the story at times.

No new info, but compelling all the same

The case and trial of Lizzie Borden has always been one of the upmost fascination. It has everything. For readers well familiar with the case and the trial, no new insights will be gained. It’s very similar to many if the television specials in that way. But that does not make it any Jess interesting.

Many reviewers are hard on Amanda Carlin’s narration. This is too harsh. She’s very good with this material. She’s a very accomplished narrator. Overall, this is a most excellent listen.

19th century prose

I learned a lot about the Lizzie Borden trial, the evidence against her, and the arguments her defense used to acquit her, so overall I think this was a worthwhile read. My only issue is that the narrative largely reflects the late-19th century style of speaking and writing that characterizes all the primary sources and secondary accounts of the day--from newspaper articles to comments from contemporaneous people and publications to witness statements to the defendant's own testimony -- they are all in a style that didn't flow naturally for me and/or made reference to elements of life that meant nothing to me; I ended up either rewinding a lot to re-listen to a passage, or just letting it flow by without entirely capturing it. Eg, a great deal is made out of the fact that Lizzy says she went to the barn for 'sinkers' during the time her father was murdered; everyone seemed to find this suspicious for some reason. However, not only did I not really know what a 'sinker' is, I had no clue why it was suspicious that she would go to the barn looking for them at that particular time. So this point, which was mentioned over and over throughout the book, just sort of went by me, its importance never clear. It seemed the author used the same 19th-century style of prose whether she was quoting a contemporaneous source or describing events in her own words. I would have appreciated a narrative framework in modern language, and maybe even some interpretation or summing up from time to time.

Worst Narration Ever

Seriously, this narrator has me wanting to scream. The narration is very droll. In addition, there are unfortunate pauses that leave ideas unconnected. The narration is very distracting from the story. I've learned my lesson on buying a new release.

Interesting.

Very interesting comprehensive story. But, the narrator is stiff and lifeless. Very disappointing in her performance.

Great Book, BUT...

I have been fascinated with the Borden case for years, and have always read everything I can find on the subject. This is a case where the book ITSELF is wonderful. It is well-written and researched, and very informative. However, I would recommend reading either the print version or the electronic version. You will get much more out of it. My complaint applies only to this audio version. I must agree with many of the other reviewers that the narration on this audio version RUINS the book! This narrator reads in a flat, lifeless monotone! She sounds like a robot, with awkward and halting speech which is very distracting to the listener!

Final verdict: great book...poor audio!

Great history!

I thoroughly enjoyed how thorough they were in there telling of the story. This was an excellent listen.

Great story, terrible narration

I listened to an interview with the author of this book, and it was so good, I immediately bought the audiobook... unfortunately without looking at the reviews relating to the narration. I don't know if it's the editing or the reader, but the delivery is by turns jerky and with weird pauses, and absolutely robotic and nearly monotone. I actually thought it might be AI! (It's not.) Anyway, the book is really good, and the author is knowledgeable. I wouldn't say there's anything really NEW here, but still a good read. READ, that is, not listen. I gave up the audiobook and just read it myself.

too bad the narrator sucks

The information on the trial is great, but the narration is SO lack luster it kind of runs the book

I'm a sucker for a new view of Lizzie Borden, but

Alexa or Siri could do a better job of reading this. The disjointed phrasing actually makes it difficult to follow the narrative.