The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson

3.87 AVERAGE

anahita_nazari's review against another edition

3.0
I never thought the subject of serial killers and true crime would bore me but this book did it.

I practically skipped all the architectural part after a point, just who find it interesting to real about internal political affairs of someitvwasn architects that lived a century ago. It wasn't even about building, more about who is gonna built it how much money they make and the fact that they were running out of time.
And probably the whole process of building the fair killed more people (directly or indirectly) that H. H. Holmes.

The last parts of the books specially the fire and burning the evidence and fate of the people involved in Holmes trial got me thinking, could he had an anonymous accomplice?

issoshima's review against another edition

4.0
adventurous challenging dark informative mysterious sad medium-paced
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nicekweenreads's review against another edition

1.5
dark informative slow-paced
I was left a little disappointed. This book seemed to have a greater focus on the struggling of building the World's Fair in Chicago rather than the killer mentioned in the tittle. It was very dry and felt like reading a text book. It was quite the slog to get through.

kyborg's review against another edition

4.25
dark informative sad slow-paced

inkhearted's review against another edition

4.0
This book provided a really intriguing behind-the-scenes peek into the Chicago architectural world, and it's gone right to my head. When a friend came to visit I found myself spouting trivia relating to FLW's fraught days working with Sullivan--which amounts to a footnote next to the greater stash of architectural anecdotes that make up one half of this novel. The other half follows the sinister machinations of a serial killer who was operating at the same time as the World's Fair was being constructed. The story of this often-thankless and problem-riddled construction project weaves in and out of the murderer's tale as the book progresses. Needless to say, this was a very absorbing read. To be honest, I think it also gave me a few nightmares, but still...worth reading....less

brianwilliams's review against another edition

4.0
informative medium-paced
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notebookmarginalia's review against another edition

4.0
dark informative mysterious slow-paced

meganmedley's review against another edition

3.0
dark informative reflective

silastaylor's review against another edition

3.75
informative mysterious slow-paced

westonthefantz's review against another edition

4.0
dark funny informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
I had this book described to me as "oddly like The Power Broker". I would like to refine that statement by saying it is like The Power broker combined with Dracula. Solid combo.