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meghana34 's review for:
The Devil in the White City
by Erik Larson
I liked the end of the novel most of all, not because I wanted to be done with it, but because it was at the end that I was truly invested in reading more. It's too bad that is took me about 250 pages to be that way.
I rapidly switched the subplot I was more interested in; at the beginning the details of the architects' planning seemed tedious and overdone, the mystery and murder much more intriguing. However, as the novel progressed, the fair itself seemed more fascinating than the serial killer; it was much more unexpected at the very least. For the murders were always the same, the same methods used over and over again, the victims the same. For most of the novel, each chapter featured a different person who was unfortunate enough to be taken in by a serial killer. And each time, it featured the words of people who knew the victim well. It bothered me how, each time, those people had their misgivings, but did nothing, nothing at all.
And that was when the fair became so much more interesting. There was a story about how a calm man who suddenly became afraid of heights on the ferris wheel, information about a princess who visited the fair, a day when the total attendance was over 700,000, a side show that stole the fair, and a battle by the bankers during the last three of the fair to make it a financial success.
And then at the very end, my allegiance switched to the mystery, but then again, the fair subplot was completely over. It was then an actual mystery. It followed a detective as he tried to find three missing children. And then, the serial killer was hanged and it briefly explored how he affected people even after his death. That was most fascinating.
Overall, I give the book four stars. While I was reading, it at first was two, then three, and I gave it four because it ended with a spectacular finish. Then back to three, just because. Although more accurately, it was 3.5 stars because even though I applauded the investigative journalism, but didn't like the writing as much. The two subplots were constantly at odds with each other; they were so different, one about the making of a fair and the other featuring the making of a serial killer. I kept waiting for the two subplots to merge, and then...... they never did.
I would still recommend this novel to everyone, especially those who love memoirs and biographies. It was a most intriguing and informational read. There are twists at each chapter.
I rapidly switched the subplot I was more interested in; at the beginning the details of the architects' planning seemed tedious and overdone, the mystery and murder much more intriguing. However, as the novel progressed, the fair itself seemed more fascinating than the serial killer; it was much more unexpected at the very least. For the murders were always the same, the same methods used over and over again, the victims the same. For most of the novel, each chapter featured a different person who was unfortunate enough to be taken in by a serial killer. And each time, it featured the words of people who knew the victim well. It bothered me how, each time, those people had their misgivings, but did nothing, nothing at all.
And that was when the fair became so much more interesting. There was a story about how a calm man who suddenly became afraid of heights on the ferris wheel, information about a princess who visited the fair, a day when the total attendance was over 700,000, a side show that stole the fair, and a battle by the bankers during the last three of the fair to make it a financial success.
And then at the very end, my allegiance switched to the mystery, but then again, the fair subplot was completely over. It was then an actual mystery. It followed a detective as he tried to find three missing children. And then, the serial killer was hanged and it briefly explored how he affected people even after his death. That was most fascinating.
Overall, I give the book four stars. While I was reading, it at first was two, then three, and I gave it four because it ended with a spectacular finish. Then back to three, just because. Although more accurately, it was 3.5 stars because even though I applauded the investigative journalism, but didn't like the writing as much. The two subplots were constantly at odds with each other; they were so different, one about the making of a fair and the other featuring the making of a serial killer. I kept waiting for the two subplots to merge, and then...... they never did.
I would still recommend this novel to everyone, especially those who love memoirs and biographies. It was a most intriguing and informational read. There are twists at each chapter.