Blonde Rattlesnake

Blonde Rattlesnake is a thought provoking book. Not particularly immersive or nail-biting, it nonetheless tells Burmah Adams White's story in a fairly unbiased way, unlike the newspapers and radios of the time of her arrest and trial. While the book includes some of those, the author also includes quotations from Burmah herself, as well as from her mother. Unlike many biographical fiction books, there is not any creative nonfiction here, it is strictly written in a journalistic style.The book focuses less on the crimes committed - though there is plenty of page time given to those - than on the corruption in the California legal system in the 1930s, and whether or not Burmah actually received a fair trial. Also on the WHY she acted as she did, which is never answered fully enough to truly decide. No doubt as many people at the time did, some readers will decide for themselves whether or not she acted of her own free will or if she was coerced by an abusive husband, but for myself, I was never completely satisfied and couldn't state an opinion either way. 3.5/5 stars, rounded up. Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.Blog Twitter Bloglovin Instagram