dkreading 's review for:

The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros

5.0

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This book is so good! Definitely for anyone who likes historical fantasy with a heavy dose of horror and mystery. I'm really glad I read When the Angels Left the Old Country before starting this book as it gave me a good foundation in Jewish lore and history, and Yiddish terminology. However, even if you're coming in knowing nothing, the author does an excellent job explaining everything. I haven't read The Devil in the White City, but I imagine there are similar vibes since this book focuses on a serial killer targeting Jewish boys, and the World's Fair is a big part of the narrative. The historical details are fascinating and heartbreaking. The descriptions of the terrible working and living conditions, especially in the meat packing district, had me feeling enraged. The story is told from the POV of a queer, Jewish immigrant from Romania, and he deals with a lot of xenophobia and antisemitism, while also hiding his attraction to men. The story focuses on the abuse of vulnerable populations, especially children, women, and immigrants, who are victims of rape, prostitution, and violence. It's heavy and grim, but well worth reading.

I enjoyed the characters Alter, Frankie, and Raizel. Each of them offers a unique perspective, and they're all going through different struggles while trying to discover the identity of the person killing Jewish boys. The slow burn of Alter and Frankie's relationship is so good! I'm looking forward to reading more books by this author.