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Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'
The Devil in the White City (Abridged): Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson
7 reviews
mariakureads's review against another edition
3.5
It's been on my TBR since who knows when and after a few starts and stops, I'm done.
Larson wrote a very detailed, and I do mean very, account of the Chicago's World Fair, the atmosphere and history of the time, as well as the serial killer hiding amongst, the glitz, dirt, toils, glamour that the Fair brought to the city at the time.
The book involves a large set of people, all oddly enough interlocked in different ways and avenues and Larson explored and provided so many facts through his meticulous research that at different points were not only quotes provided, but newspaper clippings, menus, images, and witness accounts which some were interesting and others felt staid and dry and I lost interest at different parts of the book.
At times so factual that when the alternative chapters of the serial killer, H.H. Holmes, were introduced, it would sometimes grab my attention for a few pages but it felt odd as I was thrown off a few times by the pacing especially the further I read on to find that while the World's Fair and Holmes were in the same city, there was nothing concrete to tie them together since Holmes was adamant that he didn't do anything or was guilty of such killings—that the disappearances were a happenstance, surely, by his account.
Larson is a great researcher, this I'm sure of, and gave me so much new information specific to the fair and all the people, some later becoming famous in their own right, that all in all, while I had a few disconnects, the book is a solid read.
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Torture, Murder, and Gaslighting
Minor: Child death, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
kingsteph's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Torture, Violence, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Rape, Suicide, Xenophobia, Medical content, Abortion, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
lulugirl297's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
camilleion's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Torture, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Body horror, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicide, and Abandonment
reddeddy's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Classism
smkelly1997's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Torture, Medical content, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Abortion
Minor: Dementia
renbot's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Gore, Infidelity, Racism, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
Minor: Cultural appropriation and Alcohol