57 pages • 1 hour read
The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper
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Book Brief
368
Biography • Nonfiction
London, England • 1880s
2019
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
The Five by Hallie Rubenhold focuses on the lives of five women, often overshadowed by their association with Jack the Ripper. The book humanizes Mary Ann "Polly" Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly, highlighting their personal stories, backgrounds, and the societal challenges they faced in Victorian London.
Informative
Mysterious
Dark
Melancholic
Contemplative
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Hallie Rubenhold’s The Five has been praised for its meticulous research and compassionate portrayal of Jack the Ripper's victims, bringing their stories and the socio-economic struggles of Victorian women to light. However, some readers found its focus on social history over true crime disappointing. Overall, it's a thought-provoking and empathetic work that reclaims the victims' identities.
Who Should Read The Five?
Readers fascinated by social history and women's stories will enjoy The Five by Hallie Rubenhold. This book is ideal for those who appreciated The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot or Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly, as it meticulously reconstructs the lives of Jack the Ripper's victims, emphasizing their humanity over their deaths.
Mary Ann “Polly” Nichols
Mary Ann “Polly” Nichols
The first "canonical" victim of Jack the Ripper, she grew up in a working-class family in London and faced hardships, including an alcohol dependency.
Annie Chapman
Annie Chapman
Known as the second "canonical" victim of Jack the Ripper, she experienced a fall from a lower-middle-class life into poverty, struggling with alcohol dependency.
Elisabeth Stride
Elisabeth Stride
The third "canonical" victim associated with Jack the Ripper, originally from Sweden, whose life in London involved working in domestic service and facing challenges such as syphilis and an abusive relationship.
Catherine “Kate” Eddowes
Catherine “Kate” Eddowes
The fourth "canonical" victim of Jack the Ripper, who dealt with economic hardship, family violence, and alcohol dependency, originally hailing from Wolverhampton.
Mary Jane Kelly
Mary Jane Kelly
The last "canonical" victim of Jack the Ripper, a young woman whose history is the most ambiguous, mainly known for working as a sex worker and being murdered in her own home.
Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper
An unidentified serial killer active in London's Whitechapel area in 1888, marked by a series of brutal killings of women now known as his "canonical" victims.
368
Biography • Nonfiction
London, England • 1880s
2019
Adult
18+ years
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