Joe Cinque's Consolation [Paperback]

Helen Garner (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 328 pages
• Publisher: Picador / Pan Macmillan Australia (2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0330364979
• ISBN-13: 978-0330364973
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,204,194 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Is there justice for Joe Cinque's family?, January 28, 2006

By 

L. E Armstrong (Fullerton, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: JOE CINQUE'S CONSOLATION, A True Story of Death, Grief and the Law (Paperback)

This book -- so well written -- is (without explicit intent) a powerful indictment of the "diminished capacity" defense in criminal trials. Joe Cinque was murdered in a premeditated act by Anu Singh, and she served only 4 years in prison for manslaughter. Now she is "free" and as remorseless as ever, bathing in the spotlight of renewed celebrity because attention turned to her when this book was released. No one with compassion can read this book without loving and grieving with Joe's family.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Disturbing, essential reading., January 26, 2007

By 

David Glover "david42717" (Byron Bay, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Joe Cinque's Consolation: A True Story of Death, Grief and the Law (Paperback)

Helen Garner's book explores a bizarre true case of a young Australian woman killing her boyfriend and the ensuing court case.

It was bizarre because the woman was an intelligent, well-brought-up university student; her boyfriend had done nothing wrong; although she told her friends what she planned (and even got them to assist), they did nothing effective to stop her.

I've described this as "essential reading" because it shows just how weird apparently sane and normal people can get; and how complacent (and complicit) others can be about their friends' obsessions.

It's also an examination of the Australian legal system which leaves you shaking your head (the killer was found guilty of manslaughter and released after just a few years in prison).

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Compelling and deeply disturbing, July 28, 2007

By 

David Glover "david42717" (Byron Bay, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: JOE CINQUE'S CONSOLATION, A True Story of Death, Grief and the Law (Paperback)

If the story was fiction, you'd dismiss it as unbelievable. As non-fiction, it's horribly compelling reading. Garner describes the carefully planned murder, by a bright, rich, attractive law student, of her devoted boyfriend and its aftermath in the legal system.

Anu Singh, the girlfriend, was finally convicted of manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility.

The description of Joe Cinque's death, and the long, long, preamble to it is very disturbing. It's disturbing because Singh shared her plans with numerous friends, none of whom did anything to deter her from her plans (which originally included her own suicide as the finale). In fact they assisted: with research on suicide methods, with demonstrations of injecting technique, with buying the necessary drugs. These are not sad cases on the margins of society; they're all students with plenty of financial and emotional support as well as access to professional advice.

I'd urge everyone to read this book. It won't be pleasant, but it will show you something and make you think about issues you didn't even think needed consideratino.