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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
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book - a murder mystery with a historical backgroud.
It was good but honestly I was more interested in the story about the murderer than the fair and there wasn’t as much of that in the book.
slow-paced
This could’ve been so much shorter if the author didn’t do things like spend ten pages talking about how a bank wanted to take control of the fair but failed. Also it’s BONKERS that an insurance company caught Holmes and not the police. Like they’ve been useless for 100 years?
This was my first Erik Larson book and I'm addicted. His writing style brought this dark and fascinating time in history to life. I originally picked this up to read about H.H. Holmes the serial killer, but I got wrapped up in the entire story. Learning about the World's fair was not what I was expecting, but I loved reading about it.
I will be picking up more of his books soon for sure!
I will be picking up more of his books soon for sure!
This book is genre-defining narrative history, and brilliantly brings to life what might otherwise be a dry retelling of the past. (And it’s too bad the Chicago World’s Fair is glossed over in most tellings of American history, because the author makes clear that it really was a watershed moment!) I think any reader needs to be a bit of a history enthusiast to really enjoy this book, but after clearing that low bar I’d recommend this book to anyone with any kind of connection to the city of Chicago, or anybody with a curiosity about Gilded Age America.
I'll be frank: murder bores me, architecture bores me. The only thing that interested me was the Chicago history, but 1/3 of wasn't enough to hold my interest. This isn't a reflection on the book itself, it's just my tastes.
Kinda boringly written. No real investment into the situation or any interesting detail that makes me care about the fair or even the Holmes murders.
Excellent read. I couldn't put it down. Larson's research is impeccable and he manages to match Truman Capote's flair for novelistic nonfiction. I was totally enthralled with the entire story.
dark
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Not for the faint of heart - being the sometimes grisly and horrifying story of America's first serial killer as well as the tale of the Chicago World's Fair - but Larson's ability to weave a compelling tale is impressive. I learned so much about the Fair itself and its wide-reaching impacts that still permeate modern society, and the key characters that made the Fair a reality come to vivid life. A brilliant history that reads like a gripping mystery novel. Highly recommend.