Iphigenia in Forest Hills

I am not reading too much true crime books, but once in a while it´s an useful exercise to get to know how really - not fictionally - real people may react and why. (Hint: it may alter any optimistic thoughts about beautiful human nature).

The case of Mazoltuv Borukhova, accused and convincted of ordering the murder of her husband due to a custody dispute over their daughter was interesting for me for more than one reason, as it featured the relatively remote and unique community of Bukharan Jews. What can determine a beautiful, educated and religious young woman to order the killing in cold blood of her handsome, doctor ex, in the presence of their daughter?

Janet Malcolm was the journalist who followed the trial and based on her direct contact with the parts involved and the legal proceedings wrote a book, Iphigenia in Forest Hills, about the whole case. I may confess that I was more than disappointed in the book as it does focus way too much on reproducing various declarations and court proceedings, but without necessarily going too much beyond it. I do not mean to turn into a judge and take parts, but at least to offer an well written, balanced account, going a little bit, if possible, beyond a collage of facts and figures. Trying to really understand the case, through the personal biographies and stories of all those involved, may shed light into the story itself.

Instead, the reader was offered a hefty collection of details, not few of them completely irrelevant, in need of high editing and copywriting. At a great extent it´s the extreme cartoonish description of objective journalism, because it shows how important the role of a good and well documented writer is for convening a story, especially of true crime, to the public.

Rating: 2 stars