Most people know the name Amanda Knox. She rose to fame in the aftermath of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher in Perugia in 2007.
Most people know the name Amanda Knox. She rose to fame in the aftermath of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher in Perugia in 2007. However the opinion on the young woman who holds that name varies wildly depending on whether you believe her cries of innocence.
She’s either known as Foxy Knoxy as she was dubbed by the media—a cold hearted femme fatale or as a naive all American girl whose nickname Foxy was earned on the soccer pitch. This is the image that Knox promotes in her memoir “Waiting to Be Heard.”
Her Ordeal
Despite what perceptions you may have of her, it’s difficult to not feel sorry for her as she describes her ordeal in the aftermath of Meredith Kercher’s death.
Her realisation that the police suspect her in Kercher’s murder makes for harrowing reading. Her story, through her time spent in prison waiting for her trial, is a dark and unsettling tale and the ultimate irony is that Knox’s story, entitled “Waiting to Be Heard” won’t be heard by many people in the UK. Rightly or wrongly UK publisher HarperCollins has decided not to publish the book citing legal reasons.
Unpublished in the UK
Although given the current public opinion towards Knox I find it hard to believe many people would have actually gone out and bought the book anyway.
While I admit that I did at points feel sympathy towards Knox while reading this book, part of me couldn’t shake the feeling that if she was guilty that not only she, at least for the moment, got away with it but she also managed to carve out a very lucrative career for herself.
Let’s be honest, I think most people can see this book is prime sequel material: Amanda Knox volume two: how I moved on with my life, etc., is just waiting to happen, and due to Italy’s highest criminal court overturning her acquittal earlier this year, she’s certain to have a lot more to talk about in regards to her fight to prove her innocence.
Prove her innocence
Despite this book not being published in the UK it’s still very easy to acquire. Amazon is selling it for roughly £11 minus shipping, and the barrage of glowing reviews for it on Amazon also highlight how differently Knox is viewed in America. But if you do want to buy it, you can quite easily.
Whether you should read this or not is difficult to judge, the book itself is well written and like I said earlier tells a harrowing story that is sure to keep you reading. I expect that if you read this with the view, that I think a lot of people in the UK have, that Knox is guilty of Meredith Kercher’s murder, I expect it will at least make you consider the alternative that maybe she is innocent.
Whether it will make you believe her cries of innocence or not, I can’t truly say because everyone is different. At least you heard her side of the story.
What do you think? Is Amanda Knox guilty? Have your say in the comments section below, on Facebook or on Twitter.
