Over break, I started reading (and still am reading) Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. It takes place in Chicago, before and during the Chicago’s World Fair of 1893. The book tracks the lives of two very different men, one an influential Chicago architect, the other, a serial killer. At the point where I am in the book, they haven’t met just yet, but it’s only a matter of time until they do.
The book introduces the architect, Daniel Hudson Burnham, as well as his business partner, John Wellborn Root. They were most well known for the homes that they build for wealthy stockyard owners, as well as early skyscrapers. Once their architectural firm had taken off and when the Fair was announced to be in Chicago, they were charged with designing the White City.
Next, the killer is introduced. In his hometown, he is known as Herman Webster Mudgett, but he changed it in Chicago to H. H. Holmes. In the book, he is described as a handsome and intelligent looking young man, but we shouldn’t judge this book by his cover. He devised a scheme to get money from insurance policies taken from people that had died or their families. In his time in the White City, he had many opportunities to find victims and he definitely took them.
I loved the way that the book introduced the “good guy” and the “bad guy” according to their physical attributes. He compared them by their eyes, their stature, the way they carried themselves, etc. But from there he completely veers off, and their similarities dissipate. I wonder if he’ll establish any other connections further down the road.
I have meant to read "Devil in the White City" for years and I am delighted you have picked it up. Have you ever watched any documentaries on the Chicago's World's Fair? I think you would find it fascinating.
ReplyDeleteI've actually read "Devil in the White City". I had to read for an Urban Studies class I took but once I got into it I really enjoyed reading it. I like how Eric Larson put a lot into the personalities of both H. H. Holmes and Daniel Burnham and how they are so close to meeting each other a couple of times but don't. I have to say that my favorite part is when the rooms in Holmes' home, I guess you could call it, are described. I like how the details that were put into it. I'd love to know how you like the ending.
ReplyDeleteooh, historical fiction! I recognized H.H.Holmes, so I looked up Burnham, and he's real too, so that's pretty cool. I love it when authors take real characters and weave a story for them. It adds in all this historical context- another layer for the story. Maybe it's weird, but my favorite part of historical fiction novels has always been that extra insert at the end that authors sometimes add that explains which parts were real and which they made up. "Devil in the White City" sounds like a great read. That's one good thing about these blogs; I constantly have new recommendations for really great books, so I don't have to worry about finding them. That can be nice. You said that the two characters are originally compared by their physical attributes. Do you mean the author was showing how they were similar in those ways? Because that could be fun. Like, they're so similar on the outside, they're both human- with 2 eyes and a nose and a mouth, but then once you dig deeper, they're so different. It reminds me of something from "Heart of Darkness" which I see you read earlier (amazing book. It blew my mind.). When they're coming up the river on their way to Kurtz and they happen upon some of the natives who appear quite savage at the time, Marlow says that that the main reason that they are so terrifying is that they're so undeniably human, just like him. When it comes down from it, there's not much separating him from them.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't seem like a book I would read because I'm so into action or urban fiction but I would enjoy hearing about it. It seems kind of all over the place and would be a boing read for me because there would be nothing to catch my attention but by the way you put this the part I would like would be about the killer and the fact it's in chicago. Also how do you think the book will end? Do you think that the story will be what you thought ?
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