Reviews

In some ways, I preferred how this one tackled the chase of a killer over the first (known from the beginning, then establishing proof, as opposed to looking at the process and finding a random new character at the end who fit the bill), as well as how it incorporated courtroom drama! The characterization, as always, was perfect and this one featured even more heart-pounding action than the first. Overall, my only critique is that it felt a little slow, at points, and some of the characters leaned a little too-heavily on tired, old, and sometimes racist stereotypes.

abigail_rb's review

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adventurous dark informative mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Steve is a much better narrator than Moore (the narrator from the Alienist). This book also handles all of its characters much more vividly: the villain is far more terrifying, the returners more sympathetic, the new characters more lovable. The impending sense of doom that hovers over the plot eventually snowballs into an ending that will have you white knuckling your way through the last 100 pages. The depth of historical context is impressive, and doesn’t trip the reader up as much as it does in the original, although there are still some pacing issues to push through.

laurenalexsc's review against another edition

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5.0

I actually thought this was better than The Alienist. Stevie was a great narrator, he brought some light heartedness that this novel really needed, giving the victim profile. It bothers me that the Ana (sub) plot was kind of forgotten while in Ballston Spa, but that's being a bit nitpicky.

miss_cat's review against another edition

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4.0

Very good. Fans of the first book shall be pleased. There was waaayyy too much foreshadowing, however. It was kind of a spoiler in itself, lol.

chasecain's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

keybe1's review

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5.0

Justas good as the first Kreisler book, love love love the twists and turns. Riveting. I couldn't put it down.

organchordsandlightning's review

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challenging dark informative slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

A wonderful sequel to an exceptional novel. As in The Alienist, the level of detail Carr gives to every page really stands out -- it really is a world you can lose yourself in and, particularly in Angel of Darkness, it really feels like the mystery takes place on a country-wide scale. It really is a delight to see the return of the characters, as each gets their time to shine here. Stevie as a primary protagonist is also fascinating, and I think the character work shines a little stronger with his POV than Moore's (even if I love both).

While the mystery wasn't quite as gripping as the previous novel (the novel belabors the 'a woman couldn't possibly do this' for longer than I think is effective), the climax and heartwrenching moments hit hard. Hoping dearly that Carr decides to add a three-quel to this little world.

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