Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

The Devil in the White City (Abridged): Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson

11 reviews

emercedesrich's review against another edition

dark informative medium-paced

3.0

There is a wealth of Chicago history here that's very compelling. However, I am not entirely sure why so much of the book is dedicated to HH Holmes. In his afterword, Larson explains that he believes putting this great evil next to great innovation reveals something about men's ambition, but I never found that connection organic or compelling here. The result is a book that feels out-of-date in its approach to the topic. I also think it's fair to say that men should probably not guess at women's final thoughts about the men who kill them, regardless of how much information and primary sources you have leading up to that final event.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture and Murder

Moderate: Xenophobia, Abortion, and Colonisation

julziez's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

2.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicide, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Abortion, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation

kodi_rae's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.0

I often find nonfiction books harder to read. Even with ones with topics that really interest me, I find my mind wandering. So I was pleasantly surprised at how much this book sucked me in, however I would have personally liked more pictures interspersed as well to get a better sense of people and place. It does seem like the author might have taken some liberties with pieces of the story, so keep that in mind when reading. And the lack of any sort of modern-day critique of Christopher Columbus, Wild Bill Cody’s show, and the myriad use of Native Americans and other people of color left much to be desired. Despite these grievances, I still found it to be interesting and wanting to learn more. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Suicide, Violence, Medical content, and Murder

Minor: Gun violence, Mental illness, Racism, Blood, Excrement, Dementia, Abortion, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Classism

theabee's review against another edition

challenging dark informative tense slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Murder

Moderate: Infidelity, Terminal illness, Trafficking, and Colonisation

Minor: Suicide

psdarlin's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Kidnapping, and Colonisation

Minor: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Medical content, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

crownoflaurel's review against another edition

dark informative sad medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Murder, and Colonisation

Moderate: Cultural appropriation and Classism

Minor: Mental illness, Xenophobia, Medical content, Trafficking, Stalking, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

alagasianflame's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.0

As one who was more interested in H. H. Holmes than architecture history, let me say the high rating is largely due to the fact that Larson manages to make committees and ledgers equally as fascinating as a man who built his own murder castle without anyone noticing. This is accomplished by the extensive backgrounds Larson lays out for practically every major player involved in the designing and building of the Fair. At the beginning, these winding expositions seem extraneous and, at times I’ll admit, perhaps even a little dull, but they serve as a foundation upon which is built the later trials and tribulations of the Fair’s designers, much of which was apparently caused by interpersonal strife and not, necessarily, pure financial or physical deterrents. By turning flat facts into tragic or triumphant events in the personal lives of the men (and occasional woman) involved, they come alive and make this tale something more engaging than a dusty history text book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, and Colonisation

evetoi's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Abortion, Murder, and Colonisation

headachesince03's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative inspiring mysterious tense slow-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

smkelly1997's review against another edition

dark informative slow-paced

3.5

I thought this book would revolve around H. H. Holmes much more than it did. Instead it was mostly about the creation, construction, and running of the fair. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Torture, Medical content, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Abortion

Minor: Dementia