BC Reads!
  • Home
  • Book Reviews
    • Student Reviews
    • Faculty/Staff Contributions
    • Illustrations
    • Sort Reviews... >
      • All
      • Alphabetically by Title
      • Alphabetically by Author
      • Alphabetically by Genre
      • Alphabetically by Reviewer
      • Faculty/Staff Contributions
  • Events
    • Boston Book Events
    • News and Events
  • Get Involved!
    • Become a Member
    • Submit a Review
    • Volunteer >
      • Saint Columbkille Partnership School
    • Donate Used Books
    • Become an Illustrator >
      • Work with a Reviewer
      • Design a Bookmark
      • Work on the Publicity Team
  • Resources
    • Where Can I Find Books For Free?
    • Local Bookstores
    • Useful Websites
    • Other
  • About
    • Executive Board
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff Members
    • Special Contributions
  • Contact
  • Untitled

"The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

4/27/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
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


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Who are the authors?

    These book reviews have been submitted by BC Reads! Staff Writers and other Boston College students.

    Archives

    December 2014
    November 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012

    Categories

    All
    Andrew Ireland
    Anne Donnelly
    Autobiography
    Biography
    Brittany Duncan
    Caitlin Mason
    Caroline Grindrod
    Chris Mclaughlin
    Christie Wentworth
    Christine Degenaars
    Colleen Brady
    Fantasy
    Fiction
    General Fiction
    General Non Fiction
    General Non-fiction
    Hallie Sullivan
    Historical Fiction
    Historical Non Fiction
    Historical Non-Fiction
    Horror
    Humor
    Immigration
    Jennifer Heine
    Julia Walker
    Kayla D'Ambrosio
    Kristie Dickinson
    Laura Baumgartner
    Lauren Bly
    Lauren Schlacks
    Liz Handler
    Maria Peroni
    Memoir
    Michael Solah
    Molly Saint
    Morgan Healy
    Movie Franchise
    Mystery
    Non Fiction
    Non-fiction
    Patrick Hughes
    Pulitzer Prize
    Quick Read
    Romantice Fiction
    Satire
    Science Fiction
    Serena Gibbons
    Short Stories
    Steven Nicholas
    Suspense
    Tashrika Sharma
    Thriller
    William Hwang
    Yande Lombe

    RSS Feed


Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.