I can safely admit that Surviving Execution is like no other book I've read before! Ian Woods provides a first-hand account into the trial and penultimate death penalty sentence of motel manager Richard Glossip, in a way which forces the reader to question not only Richard's innocence but more broadly the death penalty as a form of punishment.
I loved the way the chapters were arranged - by giving a brief history of capital punishment in America and across the world, Woods sets the scene for just how severe Glossip's sentencing is and why it became so controversial. I felt myself going through the same rollercoaster of emotions as the spectators to Glossip's ever-changing fate, which made the book such a page turner.
I also grew extremely fond of the maturing relationship between Wood and Glossip as they bonded on a personal and professional level. To have got to know Glossip so well over the years ensured the book felt personable and had a sophisticated level of detail which left no clue unturned or opinion ignored. I was therefore disappointed that their relationship took the turn that it did at the end, as I'm sure Woods was after building a friendship he valued.
Overall, this is easily a 5* read and one I will be thinking about for a long time!
I loved the way the chapters were arranged - by giving a brief history of capital punishment in America and across the world, Woods sets the scene for just how severe Glossip's sentencing is and why it became so controversial. I felt myself going through the same rollercoaster of emotions as the spectators to Glossip's ever-changing fate, which made the book such a page turner.
I also grew extremely fond of the maturing relationship between Wood and Glossip as they bonded on a personal and professional level. To have got to know Glossip so well over the years ensured the book felt personable and had a sophisticated level of detail which left no clue unturned or opinion ignored. I was therefore disappointed that their relationship took the turn that it did at the end, as I'm sure Woods was after building a friendship he valued.
Overall, this is easily a 5* read and one I will be thinking about for a long time!