A review by k_overt
The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

dark informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

3.0

The devil in the white city is like most classic literature, informative and uses big words. I had to read this book for an English class and it was one of the books that kept my attention. However at some points the plot was being dragged out unnecessarily for drama. If you want a book that describes historical events in serious detail, and goes into detail about people’s personal relationships of the time then this is the book for you. However, Sometimes it seems like Larson  manipulates certain pieces of history to fit his context.  For example he makes assumptions about how people ‘might’ have been feeling at the time or why they made the these decisions. This is bound to happen in a non fiction novel because they need to keep the reader engaged. If you want a book that is word for word historical facts, then this book is 80% for you. The beginning is slow because he has to introduce the characters and context so the reader can understand. However this also shows weakness in Larsons writing. One of the reasons I like an author is their ability to give information in a way that doesn’t cause the reader to become disinterested or confused. I don’t like the way Larson paces part one. However in a non fiction writing this form of writing can be seen as a strength. But for a reader like me I had a difficult time focusing on some parts that of the novel. Things that I liked was Larson ability to order events in a way that wasn’t confusing. The way the chapters are ordered based on what is happening is great, and when looking back it makes more sense. Overall the book is okay, and helps the reader learn about historical events in an entertaining way. I hope they make this book into a mini series so that they can truly understand not only the historical information, but also to transfer Larsons unique way of writing onto the big screen. I would recommend this book to someone interested in learning more about history. This book covers the worlds fair as well as the United states first known serial killer. In the past years many people have become interested in true crime and crime of passion. This book is a great for giving the audience a glimpse into the mind of a psychopath.  However you might be feeling unsatisfied when the book ends. 
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