Moving

This is a factual account of an incredibly moving story. It avoids cliche and fake overblown adjectives. I found the background to events just as fascinating. Life in Victorian England was genuinely difficult and the use of the word poverty is totally appropriate and read from our twenty first century world brings into perspective what deprivation really means.

The society of the day proved to be cruel and kind in equal measure. Compassion followed violent distaste for Joseph Merrick. The human capacity for both is indescribable.

As a documentary this work deserves high praise. I liked the accuracy of the index, something I often find lacking in other books.