When I started reading See What I Have Done, I had only a vague notion of the Lizzie Borden case. The multiple character POVs caught me off guard because the time/setting also changed, leaving me confused and peevish about not following the story. A quick Google search filled in the blanks…and basically outlined the rest of the book, which was a letdown.

The author’s writing style is quite descriptive. It’s almost poetic in nature, with a strong sense of the macabre. Many passages caused me to lose my appetite because of the disgusting details revolving around food, smells, vomit, and other unappealing concepts. Was it common to reheat a mutton broth five or six times in one week? Why is it that all the characters in this story like to lick their fingers? My nose may stay permanently wrinkled after this book. The author’s writing was the most redeeming feature of the book.

Overall, the basic premise of See What I Have Done was really interesting and held much potential. Background information was vague, leaving the reader to develop some theories without concrete evidence. In a time when people overshare everything on social media, it’s hard to imagine that the Borden family could keep Lizzie’s peculiarities such a secret. Since this was a work of fiction, it would have been helpful if the author pointed a bolder arrow toward Lizzie (was she insanely spoiled, or truly mentally ill?) or another character as the guilty party. The whole story is already open to so much speculation, and this book just adds to the nebulous cloud of history.

Do you enjoy reading fictionalized stories about historic crimes?