To be fair, this book is a work of non-fiction, and so there are multiple ways in which one can review this. If I were to focus on the research and detail, this book excels greatly. Yet as a work of literary non-fiction on par with Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood? Not even close. For one, Capote had a great insight into not only character development, but his prose is poetic and lingering. One can read In Cold Blood and recall phrases afterwards, where as such is not the case with Larson’s book. There really isn’t any connection at all between Daniel H. Burnham and H.H. Holmes, save for the circumstantial. (Some of the attendees of the World’s Fair happened to be lured into Holmes’ torture chamber).
Ultimately, neither the architect nor the killer are presented as very interesting characters. The parts on the killer just read as filler between those sections larded in such intimate detail. So when it came time for me to write this review, I was “torn” (bad pun, I realize, since Holmes had a habit of tying his victims up and trying to physically stretch them till their spines split) in just how to rate this book. As a work of research it is very well done, that is, assuming it is all correct.
Yet as a literary read? The writing should have been tightened, made less pedestrian, and just overall more oomph added. So because this book remains a National Book Award Finalist, and thus marketed as artistic non-fiction, I have to give it a marginal thumbs down because artistically it’s just not terribly compelling. If you’re reading this and interested in the life of H.H. Holmes, I recommend watching this documentary film I found on Google Video. There isn’t anything significant in Larson’s book that you can’t find in the documentary. But if knowing everything about the World’s Fair has always been your dream, then Larson is your man.
Article comments
1 - micki wolter
Just wondering whether Ms Schneider has actually read any of Mr. Buffett's engaging books.
If not, she might be surprised. She might even be inspired to withdraw her gratuitous slap in this review.
If she didnt do so, I would be very wary of her literary opinions.
Hope this isnt considered a 'personal attack'...it isnt meant to be.
2 - Matt
[personal attack deleted] the killer is much more interesting than the boring fair
3 - r.r.s.
boy did you nail this book!
4 - catlover779
This is completely incorrect. Maybe try to read the book next time.