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A review by jenbsbooks
The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
3.5
I liked this well enough, felt like I learned quite a bit about a time I didn't know about (even with so many familiar names) ... there were just TWO stories here, and I'm not really sure why they were combined into one book. The two top reviews (I don't always read reviews before I write my own, but I did with this book) say what needs to be said. I'm not alone in the "why were there two stories" thought.
There is an author's note at the beginning, which does clearly state this is the story of "two men, both handsome, both blue-eyed and both unusually adept at their chosen skills." Yet just because there were two stories to be told, doesn't mean they should have been combined into one book, when there really wasn't much (any) cross-over or connection.
Both stories were interesting ... I'm not sure if I "liked" one more than the other. The history of the fair was more "enjoyable" I guess, even though there were some bad things happening there. Nothing similar to the evil/murder that the Holmes story took us on.
While this is categorized as non-fiction, it's also called "narrative non-fiction" as it is told more like a fiction story than what is known from absolute facts. Still, the author does give a discussion about his notes and sources and process, citing all quoted or controversial material and how he came up with what he did.
SO many recognizable names - this is interesting in that sometimes while I've heard of people or events, I don't have a solid timeline in my head. Here at least, it was nice to have that woven together ... I likely will remember some things more than if I'd done a basic historical study. That being said, while I was listening to the audiobook, narrated well by Scott Brick, I would sometimes find my mind wandering a bit (probably a bit more with the fair side than the psychotic doctor sections).
No proFanity, no sex that I recall, but some gory and super sad stuff.
All 3rd person, past tense. Four "parts" with chronological chapters, with headings, descriptive, but not enough that as I glance over them afterward, they bring back memories of what was in the chapter. A little prologue and some little "after chapters" too.
There is an author's note at the beginning, which does clearly state this is the story of "two men, both handsome, both blue-eyed and both unusually adept at their chosen skills." Yet just because there were two stories to be told, doesn't mean they should have been combined into one book, when there really wasn't much (any) cross-over or connection.
Both stories were interesting ... I'm not sure if I "liked" one more than the other. The history of the fair was more "enjoyable" I guess, even though there were some bad things happening there. Nothing similar to the evil/murder that the Holmes story took us on.
While this is categorized as non-fiction, it's also called "narrative non-fiction" as it is told more like a fiction story than what is known from absolute facts. Still, the author does give a discussion about his notes and sources and process, citing all quoted or controversial material and how he came up with what he did.
SO many recognizable names - this is interesting in that sometimes while I've heard of people or events, I don't have a solid timeline in my head. Here at least, it was nice to have that woven together ... I likely will remember some things more than if I'd done a basic historical study. That being said, while I was listening to the audiobook, narrated well by Scott Brick, I would sometimes find my mind wandering a bit (probably a bit more with the fair side than the psychotic doctor sections).
No proFanity, no sex that I recall, but some gory and super sad stuff.
All 3rd person, past tense. Four "parts" with chronological chapters, with headings, descriptive, but not enough that as I glance over them afterward, they bring back memories of what was in the chapter. A little prologue and some little "after chapters" too.