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A review by salome_esteves
The Devil in the White City (Abridged): Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
4.0
I love to read true stories written like fiction, and this book is a brilliant example of that. Erik Larson's writing is perfect for this genre. His depiction of Holmes' murder is thorough but not graphic. I am always on the fence of stories about serial killers, out of fear they will be too gruesome. But "The Devil in the White City" has the perfect balance of perfectly clear and somewhat suspenseful narration.
When it comes to the overall story, I think this book tried to do too much. I always thought that these murders had occurred in the fair, but the correlation between the events is almost non-existent. That's why I believe the story around the fair was too long. Although some facts were very interesting and I felt it was quite enjoyable, I don't think it was particularly necessary.
But I highly, highly recommend it, specially if, like me, you enjoy true crime stories and murder mysteries.
When it comes to the overall story, I think this book tried to do too much. I always thought that these murders had occurred in the fair, but the correlation between the events is almost non-existent. That's why I believe the story around the fair was too long. Although some facts were very interesting and I felt it was quite enjoyable, I don't think it was particularly necessary.
But I highly, highly recommend it, specially if, like me, you enjoy true crime stories and murder mysteries.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Death, Child death, and Torture
Minor: Suicide