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"The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

4/27/2013

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Title: The Devil in the White City 
Author: Erik Larson
Genre: Non-fiction     
Pages:
Date published:
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Recommended: Yes!





I read The Devil in the White City at the recommendation of my best friend; after a year of raving about this “must-read,” she finally convinced me this year,, and now I understand why she liked it so much. The book takes place in the late 1800s, during the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, In the midst of this occasionally overwhelming backdrop, the story keeps its focus by centering on two men, an architect and a psychopath, who seem to have no relation to each other; but as the story unfolds, the reader discovers that their lives are become intricately tied together by the World’s Fair. The architect, Daniel Hudson Burnham, dreamed of designing a fair  that would rival the Eiffel tower and attract visitors from across the world, a dream that would challenge both Burnham  and his team of talented architects, including Fredrick Law Olmsted, Charles McKim, and Louis Sullivan. The psychopath, H.H. Holmes, used the excitement and attraction of the fair to keep his series of murders unnoticed, building a hotel where he could trap visitors and torture them. Larson’s characterization brings the history to life – the wholesome, driven Burnham and the charming but evil Holmes  both emerge as deep characters in an almost novelistic sense:,, historical figures, that the reader knows well by story’s end.

The Devil in the White City was not a difficult read and grabbed my attention from the very beginning with the introduction of Burnham and the World’s Fair. Since I grew up near Chicago and am familiar with the city, I was especially interested in the history of the fair and now I would love to visit what remains of the event. Even for those hailing from other states, this book  captivates because of the history involved; sometimes it seems hard to believe that these events really happened. I found The Devil in the White City impossible to put down once I picked it up. Apart from the  suspense, Larson’s decision to alternate between the perspectives of each chapter, kept me interested.

Ultimately, I would describe The Devil in the White City as nonfiction for fiction-readers. Anyone who enjoys art and architecture would also enjoy this book, as would those interested in psychopathology, murder mystery, or  the development of Chicago would also enjoy this. Pulling together all his research from primary sources Erik Larson created a unique and book. 





Review by Colleen Brady, A&S '16


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"The Mystery of Edward Drood" by Charles Dickens 

2/20/2013

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Title: The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Author: Charles Dickens

Genre: Mystery
Date Published: 1870
Pages: 432 (with notes)
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

One of the most beloved of Dickensian tropes, and perhaps also one of the most ridiculed, the ending, in pulling together and even justifying the rest of the story, has been called the signature of all Dickens and even Victorian novels. In this sense, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, his last and unfinished novel, seems to violate every motivation that one would have in reading such a book. In breaking off a mere six installments into the planned twelve after its author’s untimely death, it lacks what most readers would consider the most satisfying portion, where Dickens tends to tie up loose ends into ingenious, if always perfectly fitting, conclusions. Furthermore, the title refers to a mystery, and indeed, by the end of the existing installments, Edwin Drood has vanished, apparently dead, without the ending Dickens almost certainly envisioned to explain the circumstances of his disappearance.

            What has continued to draw readers to the story is this unknowable nature; the story has no ending, yes, but that only increases the appeal. After all, isn’t the perfect mystery the one that can never be solved? As a result, one can attach significance to any small detail and conjecture the vital purpose it might have served in the final chapters. Scholars and laymen alike have pored over the details Dickens provides, but even with the help of the notes recovered after his death and the famed “Sapsea fragment,” a piece of a later chapter introducing new characters, the question of what happened to Edwin Drood cannot definitively be answered. 

            The clues are all there, of course. Most pin the deed on John Jasper, Drood’s crafty uncle and the choirmaster, whose supposed piety masks an opium addiction and an obsessive love for Drood’s fiancé. Yet other questions abound; who, for instance, is the mysterious stranger and detective, Dick Datchery, whose inscrutable features many scholars believe hide the identity of a previously known character, disguising him or herself to uncover the truth? What stake does Princess Puffer, Jasper’s opium supplier, have in the case, and why does she venture to Cloisteram in the final chapters?

            Readers must accept that these questions can never be answered. Those who hope to find the answers to the questions The Mystery of Edwin Drood poses will inevitably be disappointed. But those perhaps accustomed to Dickens through his other works, who can wonder his motives and plans without ever realizing them, who can relish in the utter impenetrability of the mystery that Dickens has set before us, those are the readers who will enjoy this novel. The Mystery of Edwin Drood has been called the perfect mystery novel, not by virtue of its technique or even the author’s intention to deceive, but because it is the only one whose mystery can, quite literally, never be solved. Who killed Edwin Drood? Only his creator can fathom. 



Review by Jennifer Heine, A&S '16
Illustration below by Patrick Hughes, A&S '14


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"The Forgotten Garden" by Kate Morton

1/28/2013

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Title: The Forgotten Garden
Author: Kate Morton
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Date Published: 2008
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

It is a ship set to sail from London to Brisbane in 1913 that spurs the entangled, enticing story of The Forgotten Garden. But, luckily for us, we need neither months aboard a vessel nor the ability to time travel to unravel this mystery. Instead, we must only look to Kate Morton, whose encapsulating voice carries us across continents and centuries with her story centered around a foster child named Nell. At first, Nell’s world is shattered when her father informs her that she was adopted. After her father’s death in 1975, Nell hoped to travel back to England from Australia to discover her true origins, but her granddaughter Cassandra’s unexpected, elongated stay kept her from continuing her search. In 2005, with Nell on her deathbed, Cassandra continues her grandmother’s journey, determined to piece together the puzzle that is their family history.

Coming in at a hefty 552 pages, The Forgotten Garden is no light read – but it is a quick one. The chapters seep with mystery, and each question answered only raises new complications. Every time I thought I had the mystery solved, a new revelation would force me to reconsider and read on. Despite the many hours of sleep sacrificed, I finished the novel in a matter of days.



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Part of what compelled me to continue flipping the pages was Morton’s ability to create sympathy for her characters. I related to each and every character, whether she lived in 2005 or during the 1800s. I wanted desperately to fill in the dark patches of history that influenced Nell, Cassandra, and everyone else involved in the familial search.

Though Morton waits until the very last page to fully enlighten her readers, the journey that gets us there is well worth it. Morton is a master storyteller in both her descriptions that drive the main plot and in the gems of original fairy tales that are sprinkled throughout the novel. While reading, I was often conflicted between a subconscious desire to admire the genius of her writing and my need to know what would happen next. With The Forgotten Garden, Morton creates a beautiful homage to the institution of storytelling.

I recommend this book, or any Kate Morton novel for that matter, to everyone. The Forgotten Garden has earned a distinction in my head I previously thought impossible to win: favorite book. As far as I’m concerned, this book has everything: mystery, beauty, compelling characters, prodigious prose. And while I’ve read - and loved - all of Morton’s other books, The Forgotten Garden is unquestionably the best.

Review by Laura Baumgartner, A&S '16     Illustration by Kayla D'Ambrosio, A&S '14
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"The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz  Zafón

1/20/2013

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Title: The Shadow of the Wind
Author: Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Genre: Mystery
Number of Pages: 487
Date Published: 2005
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

            The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón is a novel for those who love books.  This mystery unfolds in post-World War II Barcelona, when the owner of an antiquarian bookshop introduces his son Daniel to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books.  This concept is sure to enrapture any booklover: a library full of all the books that have fallen out of the public eye and are waiting to be rediscovered.  Daniel is allowed to choose one book from the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, so he deliberates carefully. But even after much thought, he could never have imagined that his choice of Julián Carax’s Shadow of the Wind would lead to such an unforgettable adventure.  After reading and quickly falling in love with this novel, Daniel is eager to learn more about its author.  He soon discovers that Carax’s life has been enshrouded in mystery: an enigmatic character has systematically destroyed all of Carax’s novels, with the sole exception of Daniel’s copy of Shadow of the Wind.  What happened to Carax?  Where is he now? Why is someone determined to erase him from history?  Daniel sets off to find out, encountering colorful characters and discovering shocking conclusions along the way.

          I would highly recommend this book for a number of reasons.  The unraveling of Carax’s mystery as Daniel comes closer and closer to finding answers is enough to keep any reader captivated.  The various characters are quirky and lovable, allowing the reader to feel personally attached as if he or she were one of the gang. Their frequent encounters with danger raise anxiety, while also piquing interest. All of this combined with the 1950s Spanish backdrop and heavy Gothic atmosphere created by Zafón make for great escapist literature.  While I can admit that Zafón’s thick use of imagery and excessively literary attempts can be a bit overdone (every page is filled with fleeting shadows, haunted mansions, flickering candles, and the like), I still think it makes for a read that is pure fun. 


Review by Maria Peroni, A&S '16

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"Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs

10/23/2012

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Title:  Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children
Author:
Ransom Riggs
Genre(s):
Thrillers/Suspense, Action
Number of pages:  352
Year published
: 2011
Rating: 
4 Stars (out of 5)
Recommended?
  Yes

When I picked up Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, the vintage photographs interlaced throughout the book immediately caught my attention. Ransom Riggs spent years collecting these old, haunting photographs before he decided to publish them with a book. These photographs add another dimension to make this novel unique and they complement the story perfectly. The images add rich details that help the reader visualize the setting, but still leave room for imagination.

The story kicks off when the grandfather of the main character, Jacob Portman, is mysteriously attacked and dies while going for a walk. Jacob suspects that this is no ordinary wildlife attack – he believes monsters murdered his grandfather. To investigate further, Jacob convinces his parents to let him go to Wales for the summer, where he encounters an orphanage full of children with rare and strange talents and qualities. Jacob is trying to find out what this place had to do with his grandfather when he discovers what he thought was the impossible. The plot is interesting from the prologue on and the action keeps the reader on his toes.

One downside to this novel is the character dynamic. Frankly, they are not as developed as I would have liked.  Jacob is a moderately relatable character who is adventurous, brave, and curious. The people he meets are interesting and different, but throughout the book I always wanted to know more about the grandfather and the children. If the characters were more deeply developed, I think I would have gotten more out of this book.

I would recommend Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children because it’s one of those books that you really can’t put down – I read it in two days. It was a very easy read that is meant for younger readers, but possesses qualities that make it enjoyable for any age. It was suspenseful, mysterious, and thought provoking with a plot that is complex, surprising, and intriguing. Ransom Riggs is actually an old college friend of novelist John Green, so if you are a fan of Green’s novels, definitely check this one out. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is haunting and mysterious – a relevant and quick read for the Halloween season!

Review by Colleen Brady,  A&S '16

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