Customer Reviews

Semblance of Balance

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a novel that holds one's attention right from the beginning all the way to the end. A real gripper! It was fascinating to learn that Mr. Nielsen's grandmother was actually a maid in the Leopold household. Looking at "the trial of the century", the household and all other events from the eyes of the maid was intriguing.

In the fall of 1924, America was riveted by the infamous Leopold and Loeb trial, and much has been written over the years about this intriguing case...the defendants, Nathan Leopold and Dickie Loeb, their wealthy and elite upbringing and education, the crime's thrill-seeking motivation, and lawyer, Clarence Darrow's brilliant strategy and closing argument. Now, Wayne F. Nielsen brings a totally new perspective to this "crime of the century." Meet Mr Nielsen's grandmother, Elizabeth Sattler, nurse and maid in the Leopold household, who witnessed, firsthand, the events leading both up to, and then after the murder, and became one of the prosecutions star witnesses. Using his own family history coupled with exhaustive research, he has written a fascinating book that transports the reader back in time, and gives you a very personal, fly-on-the-wall view of the entire affair. This eloquently written book is tense and compelling, and filled with history, drama, insight and truth. Semblance Of Balance grabs you from page one and never lets go. For those interested in history and true crime, this is a book that should be placed right at the top of your "must read" list.

The most interesting thing about "Semblance of Balance" is the up-close view of a servant's life in the early 20th century. As for the more sensational material concerning Leopold and Loeb, the author gets nearly everything wrong--the nature of the relationship of the disturbed teenagers, their personalities, their motivations. I gave it two stars because I actually enjoyed the view of Elizabeth's life (the "upstairs maid"), and her experiences as a recent immigrant in America. Otherwise, I'd give it one star. It's as if Neilson did little research into the lives and characters of the two young murderers, and just imposed his own characterizations and ideas. Being the descendent of Elizabeth Sattler (the afore-mentioned upstairs maid) doesn't give the author the right to distort history.