Review of The Devil in the White City

This isn't the kind of book I usually read but sometimes you just have to stretch yourself and get out of your comfort zone.

After a steady diet of YA and Romance (see past posts) I was really craving something more masculine (whatever that means...) and The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson delivered.

The story (true story by the way based on historical writings and artifacts) takes place at the Chicago World's Fair circa 1893. Larson gives us two intertwining stories: one about architect David Burhnam and the actual construction and drama of erecting the fair and another about serial killer H.H. Holmes who took ample advantage of the crowds of people that attended.

This is one of those books where you know the ending - the fair is successfully completed and the seriel killer is found out - but nevertheless, you get caught up in the suspense of wondering how it all goes down.

You Will Like This Book If:

- you like stories set in the "Gilded Age" (a la Edith Wharton or Henry James)

- you like reading about architecture (see The Fountain Head)

- you like your thrillers to be detatched not violent and gory

- you like to read real history told in a story format

- you like reading award winners (the book won the Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime)