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richardleis's review
4.0
To be honest, I'm reluctant to watch or read works based on real serial killers. I need the emotional distance of fiction in my horror. I also worry about glorifying and sensationalizing them, keeping them famous while their victims are always less well known or mourned.
But Sara Tantlinger has mostly won me over with her dark horror collection The Devil's Dreamland, and especially those poems that weave together what is known or imagined about the killer's life with the history of Chicago and contemplations about the nature of evil, including how society itself may be implicated. I didn't feel she was trying to get me to sympathize with the serial killer.
A little less effective for me personally were the poems about the victims, either in their own voices or in the voice of a third person persona narrator. The poems in the killer's voice were perhaps the most difficult for me to fathom, because the poetry of that voice is so, well, poetic, which is actually really disturbing, in my opinion.
But this is beautifully crafted poetry that tackles difficult topics well. The last few poems and their warnings about evil are particularly timely, and frightening.
But Sara Tantlinger has mostly won me over with her dark horror collection The Devil's Dreamland, and especially those poems that weave together what is known or imagined about the killer's life with the history of Chicago and contemplations about the nature of evil, including how society itself may be implicated. I didn't feel she was trying to get me to sympathize with the serial killer.
A little less effective for me personally were the poems about the victims, either in their own voices or in the voice of a third person persona narrator. The poems in the killer's voice were perhaps the most difficult for me to fathom, because the poetry of that voice is so, well, poetic, which is actually really disturbing, in my opinion.
But this is beautifully crafted poetry that tackles difficult topics well. The last few poems and their warnings about evil are particularly timely, and frightening.
canyouhearusjessica14's review against another edition
5.0
I did a presentation on H. H. Holmes in my criminal justice class, i did extensive research so i was very critical going into this. But holy damn, i wish i had this when i did my project. This was beautifully done
spooky_librarian's review
5.0
I freaking loved this collection and how each poem chronicled the dark life and crimes of H.H. Holmes from various perspectives--his wives, his neighbors, his accomplice, his victims. Once I finished, I immediately wanted to learn more about Holmes because up until this moment, I knew nothing about him ( yes, yes I know I need to read Erik Larson's "The Devil in the White City")! So I will probably do a deep dive into the world of America's first serial killer now that Tantlinger has piqued my interest with her fantastic work. I sincerely hope she starts a whole series of poetry inspired by famous serial killers!
katkinslee's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lanternsjourney's review
5.0
The Devil's Dreamland is the story of H.H. Holmes' life in poetry. It's so much more than a straight forward account though; it breathes life into the monster and his victims, exhuming them for the current reader's imagination. Be prepared to want to read this in one sitting and be thoroughly chilled afterwards.
skoopatroopa's review
5.0
This was, I want to say, delightful, which is a strange way to describe poems about a serial killer. But, I found it to be wonderfully delightful.
As a lover of poetry and with a keen interest in serial killers, this was certainly up my alley.
As a lover of poetry and with a keen interest in serial killers, this was certainly up my alley.
mjtucker's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
arnzen's review
5.0
I read an advanced copy of this excellent collection and provided a recommendation for the cover -- and now that it's out, I'm rereading it and in awe of how good this book is all over again.
The Devil's Dreamland is a deeply-researched and daring crime documentary, told through verse, that persistently invites the reader to contemplate the unimaginable through a historical autopsy of Chicago's historically heinous murderer, HH Holmes. More deviant and inexplicable than Jack the Ripper, Holmes infamously transformed a house near the 1893 World's Fair exhibition into a "murder castle" -- a chamber for capturing and creatively killing his many victims. He was also a curious con man, slipping savagely between the cracks of his culture. Tantlinger's daring imagination and evocative language gives voice to his many poor victims, his various locations, his romantic partners, his historical period, and, most terrifyingly, the psychopath himself throughout his life, all the way up to his final bow.
Tantlinger uses history as a grotesque operating theater for her imagination, cutting into the enigma that was Holmes from an array of angles, unfolding the psychopath with an unflinching sense of morbid curiosity. It lends depth to the stories we've heard, while at the same time showing that there's so much more to the story than we can ever really know. Plus it's just creepy as hell.
Definitely a must-read work of contemporary poetry, sure to be a hit with true crime and horror fans alike.
The Devil's Dreamland is a deeply-researched and daring crime documentary, told through verse, that persistently invites the reader to contemplate the unimaginable through a historical autopsy of Chicago's historically heinous murderer, HH Holmes. More deviant and inexplicable than Jack the Ripper, Holmes infamously transformed a house near the 1893 World's Fair exhibition into a "murder castle" -- a chamber for capturing and creatively killing his many victims. He was also a curious con man, slipping savagely between the cracks of his culture. Tantlinger's daring imagination and evocative language gives voice to his many poor victims, his various locations, his romantic partners, his historical period, and, most terrifyingly, the psychopath himself throughout his life, all the way up to his final bow.
Tantlinger uses history as a grotesque operating theater for her imagination, cutting into the enigma that was Holmes from an array of angles, unfolding the psychopath with an unflinching sense of morbid curiosity. It lends depth to the stories we've heard, while at the same time showing that there's so much more to the story than we can ever really know. Plus it's just creepy as hell.
Definitely a must-read work of contemporary poetry, sure to be a hit with true crime and horror fans alike.
spookyoctopusreads's review
5.0
Who knew true crime poetry could be a thing? This one is such a good thing that it won a Bram Stoker award in 2018, and I can totally see why!
I was blown away by this collection I received in the Nov 2019 Night Worms package. There obviously was so much research and background work done to pull this poetry collection together.
I actually learned so much about H. H. Holmes that I didn’t know prior to reading. To be honest, I had a basic background of the serial killer and his crimes, but this poetry collection enhanced and added so much to my knowledge while also being so entertaining and engrossing. I easily devoured this book in one sitting.
The various viewpoints and voices on these pages have interesting and well rounded perspectives about the horrors perpetrated by Holmes, and I loved it. I found many of the voices in the poems to be utterly bone chilling but morbidly beautiful.
All the stars for this one!!! Can I give it more than 5 stars? I would totally recommend this for anyone who enjoys horror, true crime, poetry, serial killers, history or just damn good writing. This book left me wanting more from Sara Tantlinger and more horror poetry.
I was blown away by this collection I received in the Nov 2019 Night Worms package. There obviously was so much research and background work done to pull this poetry collection together.
I actually learned so much about H. H. Holmes that I didn’t know prior to reading. To be honest, I had a basic background of the serial killer and his crimes, but this poetry collection enhanced and added so much to my knowledge while also being so entertaining and engrossing. I easily devoured this book in one sitting.
The various viewpoints and voices on these pages have interesting and well rounded perspectives about the horrors perpetrated by Holmes, and I loved it. I found many of the voices in the poems to be utterly bone chilling but morbidly beautiful.
All the stars for this one!!! Can I give it more than 5 stars? I would totally recommend this for anyone who enjoys horror, true crime, poetry, serial killers, history or just damn good writing. This book left me wanting more from Sara Tantlinger and more horror poetry.