Reviews tagging 'Murder'

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

133 reviews

lauragoldstein's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, and Murder

Moderate: Kidnapping and Suicide

sshabein's review against another edition

dark informative sad medium-paced

3.0

This is basically a book about the Chicago World's Fair with a longform essay about a serial killer smooshed between chapters. Both have some interesting moments, but the writing is also a bit overwrought and speculative for my tastes in nonfiction. There are some assumptions about different people's mannerisms and inner thoughts that he could not possibly know, most of which do not add anything substantial to the narrative. The overall effect is just an ok book. I learned a few things.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Gore

Minor: Racism

nichola's review against another edition

dark informative inspiring mysterious sad medium-paced

4.75

I am constantly astonished by the skill required to write good and engaging Nonfiction.

If you want to read a book about H H Holmes and true crime this is not for you. This is not the Biography of America's first serial killer. This is a brilliant snapshot (the origins of the word which I learnt from this book) of the history of America and in specific Chicago during a stunning period in history where men could do all things. And yes I say men, specifically. Also, I mean this with all the good and the bad clumped together.

This book stunned me in the best way. I feel like I have been immersed in a time and place and absorbed the world's magic and terror.

This book feels like an incredible explanation for why America is the way it is.

If you like Susan Orlean and her craft for recreating a moment in time on a page this is definitely a brilliant choice of reading material.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Racial slurs, Sexism, and Racism

headachesince03's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative inspiring mysterious tense slow-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abortion, Alcohol, Misogyny, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Bullying, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Colonisation, Racism, Terminal illness, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Child death, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, and Murder

deerlordxx's review against another edition

dark informative slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Murder

beautifulminutiae's review against another edition

dark informative medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Child death

Moderate: Abortion, Terminal illness, and Kidnapping

jordynkw's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious tense slow-paced

2.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder and Torture

bookbelle5_17's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.5

Review of The Devil in the White City

By: Erik Larson

            This work of non-fiction is the history of Chicago’s World’s Fair and the killing spree of Dr. H.H. Holmes.  When I looked at other reviews of this, I noticed it had mixed opinions.  Either people hated it, thought it was okay, or loved it and I’m more in the loved it category.  I do see the criticism that people gave it.  The book does feel like two novels in one and one aspect of the history of Chicago in the 1890s is more dominant than the other in this novel.   Larson spends most of the book telling the reader the history of the World’s Fair.  The city of Chicago had to fight for the privilege of being the U.S. World’s Fair location, as New York thought they were the better choice for it.  Even St. Louis wanted to be the city where the fair happened.  There were a lot of firsts that came from the fair like Shredded Wheat and the Ferris Wheel, which was trying to achieve the impact that the Eiffel Tower had.  The Pledge of Allegiances started at the fair, as well.  People fell in love with this American venture, but there many problems that came about with this ambitious task.  Daniel Burnham, the father of this White City, the nickname of the fair, was a difficult boss to work for and demanded things be done his way.  Many of the people who worked on fair had experienced illness, and Burnham’s friend and partner Root died before the fair even started.  Not everything was ready by opening day and they struggled to make enough money from the fair.   This history is juxtaposed with the H.H. Holmes story.  The resources on Holmes are limited, but from little Larson gathered he was able to put together a narrative on Holmes meeting his victims and how he kills them.  He is charming and charismatic making it is easy for him to seduce his victims and con his way out of the various debts he finds himself in.  This frustrated me, because it allowed him to get away with all the atrocious acts he was committing, and he takes sadistic pleasure (even taking the same pleasure he would feel when aroused) in getting away with it.  He even wrote his own memoir.  I’m not an expert but he comes off as narcissistic and delusional.  He practically built his own Empire as he bought several businesses such as a drug store and a hotel.  If you are reading Devil in the White City because of Holmes and thinking he’ll be connected to fair he’s actually not.   A loose connection might be that Holmes used the fair to his advantage.  It was a distraction for his victims and allowed him access to more.  He built the hotel as place his eventual victims could stay and he could eventually kill in way that he could do it without getting his hands dirty.  Hearing about how he set it up and the police eventually investigating the place is disturbing to read about as its described in detail.   I actually enjoyed reading about parts on the fair.  It was cool to read about the history of the Chicago’s World’s Fair and learning the challenges it faced, as well as its cultural impact.  I was morbidly fascinated with the Holmes chapters, especially since my only awareness of him was from him being in an episode of “Supernatural” as a ghost.  I think the author was trying to compare the journeys of Holmes and Burnham.  Holmes was murdering people at the same time that Burnham was trying bring this positive experience to life, and it highlights the different sides of Chicago.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Cultural appropriation, Murder, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, and Infidelity

askxtine's review against another edition

dark informative sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

Very enjoyable non-fiction book! I liked how it bounced from the architects to Holmes. Those under watchful eyes and those operating in private. I also learned a lot about the Fair, America, etc. Lots of moments of surprise. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Medical content, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Gun violence

Minor: Racism

cantfindmybookmark's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, and Torture