Saint Of Circumstance

by Sheila Weller

Book Overview

The bestselling author of "Raging Heart" reveals the untold story behind the Alex Kelly rape case. When the handsome golden boy fled the U.S. in 1987 rather than face two impending rape trials, his... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0671014374
• ISBN13: 9780671014377
• Release Date: December 1997
• Publisher: Pocket Books
• Length: 308 Pages
• Weight: 1.28 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.4" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Wonderful Summary of the Story

"Saint of Circumstance: The Untold Story..." is a book for the kind of people who like analytical true crime books. If you want a fast-paced, can't put down book, Sheila Weller is not the author you are looking for. Weller is a highly analytical woman, whose observations are witty, truthful and highly intelligent. The book is at times serious and journalistic as well as fun and gossipy, however, Weller fails to make the story of Alex Kelly come alive. I have read other books by Weller, notably "Amy Fisher: My Story", and her style towards book writing is researching the community that created the person and somehow try to explain how the tragedy that she chronicles comes about. They are good, quality books, but they are not thrillers or don't implant in the reader a desire to keep reading. The style is pretty narrative, and she is not one to recreate scenes. Although her descriptions of the place are pretty good, most of the story is told through quotes from other people. Don't get me wrong, as a soon-to-be published author I can tell you I do this too, but she doesn't make the story come alive. She tells rather than describing the book in scenes so the reader can feel they were there. They are there. If you want a summary of the investigation of Kelly, a profile of Alex himself, his family and the coddled, rich, affluent town (which Weller, in one of her more insightful observations terms "one of the country's last enclaves of genteel elitism") in which he grew up, you'll love the book. If you end up loving the book, you will also like Doug Most's "Always in Our Hearts", about the Amy Grossberg/Brian Peterson case because of it's social analysis. Also, check out the landmark Lefkowitz book, "Our Guys".

Good portrayal of a rich boy and his escape from his past

Sheila Weller provided a fair portrayal of Alex Kelly, his town, and his crimes. She provided the details with objectivity and still provided the reader with an enjoyable read. I do not believe Darien, the town Alex Kelly grew up in, was unfairly represented. The town and the environment played a key role in Kelly's development and although it is not responsible for its actions, it is one of the more important aspects to his crimes.

Very Interesting Account

It's nice for a change to read true crime which is more than just a rehash of reporting picked up from the local newspapers of the time. Weller actually thinks about and analyzes the material while moving the story along nicely. What is the moral of the Alex Kelly story? Monsters breed monsters. How could it be otherwise? The real criminals here are Kelly's parents, with the affluent, and hypocritical town, and the schools right along with them. I feel sorry for Alex Kelly but he is absolutely and exactly where he belongs.

My brother was there; with this book, I felt like I was.

Having seen a brother grow up and go to school in Stamford Connecticut and heard all about what goes on there, with drugs, bullying and hazing, etc., the priveliged kids' scene, this book really brought it home to me. I could see it before my very eyes, better than any movie could ever show. Weller provided the results of not only thorough investigation, but also with a writing style that keeps the attention. She effectively gave us a good glimpse into the mind of one of the most evil persons who has ever lived. She illustrated not only how much parential denial there was, but also what a flawed and biased legal system exists in this country.