A review by desireeslibrary
The Alienist by Caleb Carr

5.0

One of my all-time favorites. The atmospheric nature of this novel is unmatched. The reader is instantly transported into the underworld of New York City in 1986. Because it is a historical fiction written by a nonfiction author, sometimes it felt as though you were immersed in a vivid retelling of an actual historical event and learning about the early stages of criminal profiling. This was especially so because Carr sprinkled in actual historic figures as characters (Teddy Roosevelt, H.H. Holmes, & Jesse Pomeroy). Every chapter of this novel was written with such meticulous precision leaving you with a cliff-hanger. And although the story is narrated by arguably the most boring character, John Moore, one can argue that it is almost necessary to highlight the true main character, Laszlo Kreizler (hence the name of the series). Again, the setting is just remarkable and, in a way, becomes a character in itself. The book's aesthetic is heavily reminiscent of The Shadow of The Wind (which is probably why I was drooling over it). It also has a similar vibe as Criminal Minds or Mindhunter but re-imagined in old-timey NYC. Carr does such a beautiful job of delving into criminology and abnormal psychology in a manner that was even frowned upon by society in the period of its setting. The novel definitely does justice to highlight the humanity in the killer. I loved how Carr touched upon some hard-hitting realities of the time as well, such as lack of equality, racism, ignorance of real social issues, and a complete and deliberate disregard of anything other than what was deemed "ordinary".

If you are searching for an intelligent, high-spirited, in-depth look at the mind of a sadistic serial killer and a stroll through the streets of New York City during the late 19th century, then this is for you. Could not recommend a book more.

"...belief that the answers one gives to life's crucial questions are never truly spontaneous; they are the embodiment of years of contextual experience, of the building of patterns in each of our lives that eventually grow to dominate our behavior."