One of Us: The Story of a Massacre and its Aftermath by Asne Seierstad

Author : Asne Seierstad
Title : One of Us: The Story of a Massacre and its Aftermath
Published : 04/02/2016
Pages : 544
Genre : True Crime
Publisher : Virago








     On 22 July 2011 Anders Behring Breivik killed 77 of his fellow Norwegians in a terrorist atrocity that shocked the world. One of Us is the definitive account of the massacres and the subsequent trial. But more than that, it is the compelling story of Anders Breivik and a select group of his victims. As we follow the path to their inevitable collision, it becomes clear just what was lost in that one day.

     While looking over the true crime section at the bookstore my eyes land on the spine of this book. I remember seeing the events on the nightly news, they talked about how a man had opened fire on a group of unarmed teenagers killing many before being captured. But as quickly as it appeared on our T.V screens it was gone again. I was curious about what could motivate someone to do such a horrendous act of violence.

     When starting with this book it was not the first time I had read this author work, previously I had read The Angel of Grozny: Orphans of a Forgotten War. She takes on very serious topics and managed to bring a human side to events an people most would know little about. This time though it is difficult to find the humanity in telling the story of a man who showed none in committing his crimes. With this book, you have to except that you will find nothing to like about Anders he is someone who has little concern for others. His entire life is wrapped up in the self-belief that the world owes him something for simply being born. He is a man so wrapped up in a twisted view of the world that no one can teach him otherwise. For most of this book, you will only feel anger towards him and the path he followed. It does however also step in the lives of some of his victims, showing how they were before. The promise they showed and the people the cared for, It's amazing how with the help of those around them she could show how these lives cut so short where being lived with joy and happiness and also some of the problems all teenager go through. Only adding to the sadness I felt with the time I spent with this book.

     Asne is someone i have now come to trust when it comes to journalistic books such as this. She seemed to have spent a great deal of time devilling into every aspect of these people lives and tried to give the most honest account she could. This includes the failure of the police and state in their reactions to reports of the crime. In doing so this is not an easy book to read, I had to stop more than once and do something else. I think it is hard for anyone to come to terms with how someone can do such things to other people. You have to give the author her dues she has written this book in the best way she could when dealing with the events, It doesn't make it any less easy to stomach. It would be far to easy to write him off as a nut job from a broken family, But that would be a cop-out. For me, the most difficult part of this book was when it came to the massacre its self. She writes this section in a minute by minute account. You don't get the option to look away and it puts you inside his head, a place no one really wants to spend any time. In witting this review I have had great difficulty putting my thoughts and feelings into some sort of order.  It brings out such strong feelings towards this man and also his victims. I guess for me I will ever understand why people do things like this, the anger and hatred that run through him is simply too much. On some level maybe it is better not to for fear of becoming like him.

     You can not enjoy such a book like this, you read it to get some grasp on what took place. If you chose to read it I think you need to prepare your self and make sure to plan something else to do in between to drag you from the place it takes you.