The Fact of a Body by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich Review

Before Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich begins a summer job at a law firm in Louisiana, working to help defend men accused of murder, she thinks her position is clear. The child of two lawyers, she is staunchly anti-death penalty. But the moment convicted murderer Ricky Langley’s face flashes on the screen as she reviews old tapes―the moment she hears him speak of his crimes―she is overcome with the feeling of wanting him to die. Shocked by her reaction, she digs deeper and deeper into the case. Despite their vastly different circumstances, something in his story is unsettlingly, uncannily familiar.

Crime, even the darkest and most unsayable acts, can happen to any one of us. As Alexandria pores over the facts of the murder, she finds herself thrust into the complicated narrative of Ricky’s childhood. And by examining the details of Ricky’s case, she is forced to face her own story, to unearth long-buried family secrets, and reckon with a past that colors her view of Ricky's crime.

But another surprise awaits: She wasn’t the only one who saw her life in Ricky’s.

An intellectual and emotional thriller that is also a different kind of murder mystery, The Fact Of a Body is a book not only about how the story of one crime was constructed―but about how we grapple with our own personal histories. Along the way it tackles questions about the nature of forgiveness, and if a single narrative can ever really contain something as definitive as the truth. This groundbreaking, heart-stopping work, ten years in the making, shows how the law is more personal than we would like to believe―and the truth more complicated, and powerful, than we could ever imagine. 

The nonfiction books I've been picking up lately have been especially good, and continuing that winning streak we have The Fact of a Body. This was one of two extremely hyped up nonfiction crime novels this year, and it seemed much much more interesting than the other one, American Fire, about arson, a crime even more boring than money laundering or other financial crimes. Also, it's by the same author as one of my least favorite books last year. So when looking at both books in the library I only came home with one, this one.

The Fact of the Body is kind of in the same tradition as In Cold Blood, looking at a heinous crime and then looking at the man who committed such an act. Both crimes are roughly on the same side of horrible, the men in In Cold Blood killing four people, including two teenagers, in a home invasion and the man in this book killing a child after maybe sexually assaulting him. Or perhaps he killed the child and then sexually assaulted him. The details were never really worked out. I put these two crimes on the same level because crimes against children are hideous no question. 

After Marzano-Lesnevich establishes the crime and the crime's effects on the people of the town, like Capote she then launches into Ricky Smith's (the man who did it) past. There could be strong parallels drawn between him and Perry Smith. Both come from less than ideal home lives, big families with alcoholic mothers. Both have less than normal mental states, there is something easily pitied about them. While it was easier to pity Perry than Ricky, I can't help but feel something for them both. Of course, I've always been sensitive to people who come across as sad or desperate or childish seeming. I mean, I've been watching The People vs OJ Simpson and I just feel bad for everyone in that show except Shapiro and Cochlan. So really, it's not that hard to garner my pity, I'm pretty susceptible to sob stories, it's mostly why I oppose the death penalty. That being said, I'm not saying that Ricky Smith should be free or be in a mental institution instead of jail, no the man belongs in prison for life, no questions asked, but he doesn't deserve to die.

An interesting question that this book brings up is the question of pedophilia. Can a person with it get help? Can they change? Or are they people who just can't help themselves? I'm not a psychologist, far from it actually, but I don't think they can change. On one hand, the book leads you to pity the pedophile, who tried to get help only to have it fail, but on the other hand... pedophiles hurt children. They aren't kleptomaniacs who don't actually hurt anyone. Children do not and never will understand sex or romantic love, you cannot be in a mutual relationship with a five year old. In the end, I think there is nothing to do but put the pedophile in jail.

Also, I'm pretty sure Ricky Smith has some form of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. The childish, impulsive way he acts certainly points to that, especially since his mother apparently drank steadily throughout her entire pregnancy.

However, I wasn't as taken with the memoir part of the book as I was with the crime part, though I'm sure it was very cathartic to write. 

Marzano-Lesnevich is a very good writer, one who definitely knows how to tell a story, and I can see her going far in the literary world. I liked her style, and how she endeavors to show all sides of the story, and her own perspective on her childhood abuse. While she doesn't claim to speak for all those who were abused as children, likely this book will be very helpful for someone who went through something similar.

In the end, I highly recommend this book to someone who likes crime books or family dramas or both, regardless of which side one falls on the death penalty. I will definitely watch for more of Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich's work.

8.5 out of 10