Julie's Review: The Devil in the White City

Summary: he No. 1 New York Times bestseller about the architect who led the construction of the great Chicago World's Fair of 1893, and the prolific serial killer who used the fair as a lure. Just blocks from the fairgrounds, the killer built a hotel of horrors equipped with an acid vat, dissection table and crematorium. The book won an Edgar Award for best fact-crime writing, and was a finalist for a National Book Award. In November 2010, Leonardo DiCaprio acquired the rights to make a feature film based on Devil, and has stated he plans to play the role of the killer, Dr. H. H. Holmes. ~eriklarson.com

Review: I was so looking forward to this book when Michelle Moran named it as one of her favorite narrative books. In fact, after she said that I went and ordered it straight away. Plus it's set in Chicago and it happens to be my favorite city. I have to say that I don't think Non-Fiction is my cup of tea. Erik Larson is a gifted writer, there is no doubt of that. He takes fact and weaves an interesting story with those facts. While the book does read like a fiction book, I found that it got so mired in fact and details that I would get lost. While I understand that it took a huge committee to pull off this World's Fair, I found it hard to keep the players straight at times.

What I found stunning about this time period was all the advancements in engineering and construction. How they were trying to figure out ways to make the soil in Chicago work for them and how they worked it to their advantage. I loved reading about the buildings that are still around today in the city. I loved how Chicago fought New York to get the fair and then had to continually fight to make it a success. People think that Landscape Architecture is a new phenomenon but it's not. This was a big part of the picture when developing the site for the fair and a big part of it's ending beauty.

I have to admit that I had no idea that Chicago had a serial killer running around during this time. H.H. Holmes was quite crafty and apparently quite the charmer. Not only was he a murderer but he was quite the debtor as well. He was apparently so charming that his creditors didn't pursue him more than a few times to receive their money. He was very intelligent and crafty which is why it took a long time to figure out what he was doing. He also had a very interesting way to dispose of the bodies.

While I enjoyed most of the historical perspective of the book, it didn't reel me in like I had hoped. It took me a long time to make my way through it and at times I wanted to give up on it. I did make it to the end and I'm glad I did. One can never know enough history about the city they grew up around.

I think I might be the only person that I know who didn't absolutely love this book. I did pass it on to a co-worker whom I know loves architecture and history, perhaps the book will be more up his alley.

I'm pretty sure that I would probably watch a movie based on the book though. I'm not sure if I will go on to read Mr. Larson's newest book, In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin or if I will pass. The jury is still out for me.

Final Take: 3.25/5