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9.33k reviews for:
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
Erik Larson
3.87 AVERAGE
9.33k reviews for:
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
Erik Larson
3.87 AVERAGE
more architecture than murder so far. will return one day with adjusted expectations
Although I think the juxtaposition of the two stories interesting (1892 World's Fair and America's seemingly first serial killer), the author's style is a bit melodramatic. In his effort to weave the extraordinary events, he seems to stall the overall suspense of both events.
dark
informative
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
this took me so long to finish because i just could not get into the first half of the book. but after the fair started up and holmes’ transgressions snowballed, i was hooked. i like larson’s narrative storytelling while presenting historical facts. the people who planned the fair and holmes’ victims were all alive at one point, so i appreciate larson’s dedication to present them as fully realized human beings through their characterization. the world’s fair in chicago was the pinnacle of innovation and architecture, and its stamp in american history must be realized. i definitely recommend this for anyone who’s a history buff and/or loves the element of mystery and thriller in a nonfiction setting.
Meh. Interesting but dull story if the World's Fair. Halting interjections about Holmes through-out. Should have been written separately despite the cover the fair provided Holmes.
I liked the idea of this book more than I actually liked this book. Not really in the headspace for murdering young women these days tho tbh
funny
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
dark
informative
medium-paced
dark
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
slow-paced