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p2warner's review against another edition
4.0
Fascinating and disturbing, the story telling masterful, given the amount of detail and research Larson conducted. The story of Holmes is chilling. 4.25/5
cherold's review against another edition
4.0
Devil in the White City follows two historical stories; that of the creation of a world's fair and of a serial killer active at the same time.
The world's fair story is utterly fascinating, unspooled in a suspenseful manner and well contextualized within the times.
The serial killer story is interesting as serial killer stories go. It's not a genre I'm a fan of, but the novel doesn't descend to the level of torture porn as some books do and the author has a nice sense for detail.
The problem with the book is these two stories don't connect in any real way. A weak argument is made that the chaos of the world's fair made it easier for the killer to proceed, but that's about it. I agree with another reviewer here that it feels like two short books stuck together to make a longer one.
It's hard to say if this is a failure of writing or premise. A good author can tie anything to anything, and having committed to this premise, it's surprising that this author - who writes very well - couldn't create a context within which this pairing made sense.
The book is often fascinating, full of interesting facts, and well worth reading, but the lack of cohesion and the way the book winds down into nothingness keeps it from being fully satisfying.
The world's fair story is utterly fascinating, unspooled in a suspenseful manner and well contextualized within the times.
The serial killer story is interesting as serial killer stories go. It's not a genre I'm a fan of, but the novel doesn't descend to the level of torture porn as some books do and the author has a nice sense for detail.
The problem with the book is these two stories don't connect in any real way. A weak argument is made that the chaos of the world's fair made it easier for the killer to proceed, but that's about it. I agree with another reviewer here that it feels like two short books stuck together to make a longer one.
It's hard to say if this is a failure of writing or premise. A good author can tie anything to anything, and having committed to this premise, it's surprising that this author - who writes very well - couldn't create a context within which this pairing made sense.
The book is often fascinating, full of interesting facts, and well worth reading, but the lack of cohesion and the way the book winds down into nothingness keeps it from being fully satisfying.
charieprocter's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed the history of the development of the Chicago exhibition. I wanted more about the serial killer. However I think the author didn't have as much information to work with on that part of the story.
This was an interesting read after "A Well Behaved Woman" and before "Hell's Princess" as that is where the historical fiction book takes place for real in the historical timeline. It was interesting to see how the three referred to something about each story next to it.
This was an interesting read after "A Well Behaved Woman" and before "Hell's Princess" as that is where the historical fiction book takes place for real in the historical timeline. It was interesting to see how the three referred to something about each story next to it.
carla_gee's review against another edition
3.0
Fascinating and creepy. I almost wish the two plots were separate books
grumpybookdragonfly's review against another edition
3.0
The book, overall, is fascinating and gripping and almost too bizarre to be fact. It was slightly discouraging to read an author’s note in which he seems to almost brag of not using internet searches, which indeed could have saved him from at least one error. The detective who ultimately located some of Holmes’ victims’ bodies was not, in fact, a widower. His wife and daughter did not perish in a fire. They outlived him. So, overall, take the contents of the book with a small grain of salt. It is, generally, exceptional. But…not exceptionally accurate.
lotuschildearthdaughter's review against another edition
5.0
Larson is writing and weaving 2 stories together. The first about how the Chicago World's Fair came to be, the second about a...MURDERER! It's quite well done and I am completely taken by this book. A very good read so far.
melissarod1185's review against another edition
3.0
This book is unsettling, at times fascinating, but.. something didn’t quite sit well with me by book’s end. Really a 3.5 stars— tirelessly researched but I wouldn’t clamor for another like it, if that makes sense.
tdotstobes's review against another edition
dark
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.75
Erik Larson is a master storyteller, and "The Devil in the White City" is a page-turner that's hard to put down. I expected to be hooked on the gruesome tale of H.H. Holmes, but surprisingly, I was equally fascinated by the monumental undertaking of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. Larson's writing is suspenseful and engaging, and he weaves these two narratives together seamlessly. The result is a captivating look at the Gilded Age, full of intriguing characters and surprising twists. If you're a fan of true crime or history, you'll love this book - and even if you're not, it's still a wild ride!
snugworm's review against another edition
2.0
I was really interested in this book because of the planning history in it...but I felt it kind of dragged. I think it's still worth a read for the history. I love the portrayal of Frederick Olmstead. Also, fun fact: my rare mother's family's name showed up about thirty pages into it. And then, just a handful of pages later my uncle's rare last name showed up.