very powerful

A hard read, it's very powerful. Good writing style, clear narration. i would definitely recommend

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Superb

superbly written and narrated. not what I would normally choose but so glad I did. these poor women endured such pain, suffering and deformity. unbelievable how it took so long, too long to get justice. this is an eye opener and story which so needed telling. Brave, brave women and such amazingly supportive husbands and families. Thank you for this insight.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

An excellent book

What a fabulous book. An horrific tragedy told so well. Both the writing and the narration are top notch. This has been my first introduction to this author but as a result I have now bought another of her titles on audible and I can't wait to listen. I love non-fiction with high quality research which this book most certainly is. It is then told in such a way that is both thrilling and evocative. A brilliant legacy for the girls affected and how their strength created such significant change for future generations of workers. And what a damning tale of corporations. Profit before people to the nth degree. Highly recommend.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Powerful Story Irritating Narration

This is a truly shocking story - I found myself gasping in disbelief at some of the genuinely jaw-dropping (pardon the expression) revelations - and it is its strength that kept me going to the end, in spite of the awful narration.

I can’t profess to be a fan of Kate Moore’s style of writing and. Certainly. Not. Of. Her. Strange. Staccato. Delivery. Terrible, theatrical, over-dramatised narration, which the story does not need; it is dramatic enough on its own (and how does a 30-something woman manage to sound like a 13-year old girl anyway?) I ashoom (sic) she was reading it how she was imagining it when she wrote it.

Some of her pronunciation would have been risible if it weren’t so irritating: ashooming, conshoomer, clappsed, clective, diptheria, becuzz, prehaps… (I could go on.) And while I understand that it was necessary to demonstrate that these were young, vibrant, attractive, fashionable women (I kept having to remind myself they were only in their early 20s) was it really necessary to be told of the physical attributes of (virtually) every person in the book? Was it relevant if a doctor had a bald head and glasses? I don’t think so. I found it really grating on me by about halfway through.

That being said, the account is totally engrossing. The shameless machinations of the companies in trying to protect their reputations and, more importantly, their profits, were staggering! I was entirely unaware of the struggles of these women and of their part both in changing industrial safety regulations and in the greater knowledge of radioactivity and its effects. A powerful story that needed to be told, but probably not by Kate Moore.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

Excellent

Interesting, thought-provoking, saddening and an important re-telling of a major corporate injustice over years.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

brilliant telling of an horrific story

highly recommend this book, i had never heard of these girls story before and now i will never forget them

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Heartbreaking, horrifying, infuriating, absolutely fantastic!

Numerous times throughout this story, I had to pause it to cry, to breathe through my anger, or to simply process the shock at what I was hearing. The writing is phenomenal. Grace Fryer’s story hit me hardest. This is an important story that more people should know about.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

A very important listen

From the start it's clear that this is an excellent and very well researched non-fictional account of the horrifying experiences that The Radium Girls endured nearly a hundred years ago. The author's attention to detail is exacting and precise, and yet the women whose lives she is unpacking are not merely reduced to names and medical conditions but are reclaimed as fully human individuals who lived and loved and inevitably gave far more than should ever have been required of them. This is a truly memorable account of the lives of the perpetrators, victims and families that probably won't fade from my memory anytime soon. I would definitely recommend this to others.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

Well worth listening to

Most interesting, harrowing and distressing piece of history. I finished the 16hr book in 2 days. Thank goodness for all the workplace legislations that are in place these days. This book is well worth a read or listening to especially if you enjoy true stories.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

An amazing book of an amazing story

I loved everything about this audiobook. The story was so informative and the dignity of the radium girls made me sad and mad. I couldn't put it down. How strange that human nature hasn't changed over time and the lawyers swopped allegiance according to how much they were likely to gain financially. A very good balanced account of a hideous true story.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!