Scan barcode
A review by reggiewoods
The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann
adventurous
dark
informative
tense
fast-paced
4.25
Grann has an eye for a great story (excited about the Scorsese adaptation of “Killers of the Flower Moon”) and recounts them in a gripping fashion. The title sums up the plot and Grann manages to encompass the world of the 1740s seamlessly into his narrative. Some of the characters involved might have familiar names, but the mix of personalities seems destined for drama and political intrigue, much like the casts of modern day reality shows. Some blurbs call it a mystery, but I think that is misleading. Though there are differing accounts of the events, the tale reads more like a thriller and survival novel than a detective story. All in all it’s a solid read from an author establishing himself as one of the current bests in narrative non-fiction.