spooky_librarian's review
5.0
I freaking loved this collection and how each poem chronicled the dark life and crimes of H.H. Holmes from various perspectives--his wives, his neighbors, his accomplice, his victims. Once I finished, I immediately wanted to learn more about Holmes because up until this moment, I knew nothing about him ( yes, yes I know I need to read Erik Larson's "The Devil in the White City")! So I will probably do a deep dive into the world of America's first serial killer now that Tantlinger has piqued my interest with her fantastic work. I sincerely hope she starts a whole series of poetry inspired by famous serial killers!
oddly's review
5.0
As a true crime buff and new fan of horror poetry, this combination of both was a must-read for me!
The collection reads more like a story, following Holmes from his beginnings, to his first forays into crime and other ill pursuits, to the building of his murder castle in Chicago, and beyond. I thought I would read a few each day, but I got sucked into the narrative flow of the poems and ended up reading through it mostly in one sitting. It isn't the type of poetry book you would want to dip in and out of at random, at least until you've read it all the way through once.
Tantlinger bases the work on fact, but isn't afraid to let imaginings and possibilities fill in the holes where we don't really know the truth of what happened with Holmes and his victims.
If you are into true crime, you are probably already aware of the strange interest, that weird compulsive magnetism toward serial killers—those enigmatic and eminently terrifying monsters whose minds we just can't quite comprehend. What is it about them that compels them to horrifying acts and yet allows them to seamlessly blend in with everyone else?
If you are perhaps a bit afraid of poetry, this collection is a wonderful example of how poems don't have to be obfuscating. Tantlinger's use of language is measured, image-driven, and often playful, and her attention to line breaks and spacing give the lines fresh readings upon closer inspection.
I think the whole project could have dug deeper into the psychological component of what makes the man a monster, as it instead stay fairly narrative in structure and substance. There is space in poetry for wonderings, lucid dreamings, what-ifs, and whys that you just can't explore the same way in fiction.
I loved the poems and the story they told, but I'm left with an unfinished feeling as to what the collection was supposed to represent. It could be a lot of things: hidden evil or the cycle of evil, the psychological underpinnings of psychopaths, a study in victimology. . . But I didn't feel that the collection left me pondering a specific great question. I don't think this detracts from the collection at all, hence my 5 stars, but it could have added another dimension to an already strong piece of writing.
Just like the intricate paths, secret hallways, and hidden trapdoors of Holmes's murder castle, The Devil's Dreamland twists through the life and mind of one of America's most infamous serial killers and is sure to leave you with plenty of nightmares for your next trip to dreamland.
The collection reads more like a story, following Holmes from his beginnings, to his first forays into crime and other ill pursuits, to the building of his murder castle in Chicago, and beyond. I thought I would read a few each day, but I got sucked into the narrative flow of the poems and ended up reading through it mostly in one sitting. It isn't the type of poetry book you would want to dip in and out of at random, at least until you've read it all the way through once.
Tantlinger bases the work on fact, but isn't afraid to let imaginings and possibilities fill in the holes where we don't really know the truth of what happened with Holmes and his victims.
If you are into true crime, you are probably already aware of the strange interest, that weird compulsive magnetism toward serial killers—those enigmatic and eminently terrifying monsters whose minds we just can't quite comprehend. What is it about them that compels them to horrifying acts and yet allows them to seamlessly blend in with everyone else?
If you are perhaps a bit afraid of poetry, this collection is a wonderful example of how poems don't have to be obfuscating. Tantlinger's use of language is measured, image-driven, and often playful, and her attention to line breaks and spacing give the lines fresh readings upon closer inspection.
I think the whole project could have dug deeper into the psychological component of what makes the man a monster, as it instead stay fairly narrative in structure and substance. There is space in poetry for wonderings, lucid dreamings, what-ifs, and whys that you just can't explore the same way in fiction.
I loved the poems and the story they told, but I'm left with an unfinished feeling as to what the collection was supposed to represent. It could be a lot of things: hidden evil or the cycle of evil, the psychological underpinnings of psychopaths, a study in victimology. . . But I didn't feel that the collection left me pondering a specific great question. I don't think this detracts from the collection at all, hence my 5 stars, but it could have added another dimension to an already strong piece of writing.
Just like the intricate paths, secret hallways, and hidden trapdoors of Holmes's murder castle, The Devil's Dreamland twists through the life and mind of one of America's most infamous serial killers and is sure to leave you with plenty of nightmares for your next trip to dreamland.
katkinslee's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lanternsjourney's review
5.0
The Devil's Dreamland is the story of H.H. Holmes' life in poetry. It's so much more than a straight forward account though; it breathes life into the monster and his victims, exhuming them for the current reader's imagination. Be prepared to want to read this in one sitting and be thoroughly chilled afterwards.
skoopatroopa's review
5.0
This was, I want to say, delightful, which is a strange way to describe poems about a serial killer. But, I found it to be wonderfully delightful.
As a lover of poetry and with a keen interest in serial killers, this was certainly up my alley.
As a lover of poetry and with a keen interest in serial killers, this was certainly up my alley.
mjtucker's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
arnzen's review
5.0
I read an advanced copy of this excellent collection and provided a recommendation for the cover -- and now that it's out, I'm rereading it and in awe of how good this book is all over again.
The Devil's Dreamland is a deeply-researched and daring crime documentary, told through verse, that persistently invites the reader to contemplate the unimaginable through a historical autopsy of Chicago's historically heinous murderer, HH Holmes. More deviant and inexplicable than Jack the Ripper, Holmes infamously transformed a house near the 1893 World's Fair exhibition into a "murder castle" -- a chamber for capturing and creatively killing his many victims. He was also a curious con man, slipping savagely between the cracks of his culture. Tantlinger's daring imagination and evocative language gives voice to his many poor victims, his various locations, his romantic partners, his historical period, and, most terrifyingly, the psychopath himself throughout his life, all the way up to his final bow.
Tantlinger uses history as a grotesque operating theater for her imagination, cutting into the enigma that was Holmes from an array of angles, unfolding the psychopath with an unflinching sense of morbid curiosity. It lends depth to the stories we've heard, while at the same time showing that there's so much more to the story than we can ever really know. Plus it's just creepy as hell.
Definitely a must-read work of contemporary poetry, sure to be a hit with true crime and horror fans alike.
The Devil's Dreamland is a deeply-researched and daring crime documentary, told through verse, that persistently invites the reader to contemplate the unimaginable through a historical autopsy of Chicago's historically heinous murderer, HH Holmes. More deviant and inexplicable than Jack the Ripper, Holmes infamously transformed a house near the 1893 World's Fair exhibition into a "murder castle" -- a chamber for capturing and creatively killing his many victims. He was also a curious con man, slipping savagely between the cracks of his culture. Tantlinger's daring imagination and evocative language gives voice to his many poor victims, his various locations, his romantic partners, his historical period, and, most terrifyingly, the psychopath himself throughout his life, all the way up to his final bow.
Tantlinger uses history as a grotesque operating theater for her imagination, cutting into the enigma that was Holmes from an array of angles, unfolding the psychopath with an unflinching sense of morbid curiosity. It lends depth to the stories we've heard, while at the same time showing that there's so much more to the story than we can ever really know. Plus it's just creepy as hell.
Definitely a must-read work of contemporary poetry, sure to be a hit with true crime and horror fans alike.
spookyoctopusreads's review
5.0
Who knew true crime poetry could be a thing? This one is such a good thing that it won a Bram Stoker award in 2018, and I can totally see why!
I was blown away by this collection I received in the Nov 2019 Night Worms package. There obviously was so much research and background work done to pull this poetry collection together.
I actually learned so much about H. H. Holmes that I didn’t know prior to reading. To be honest, I had a basic background of the serial killer and his crimes, but this poetry collection enhanced and added so much to my knowledge while also being so entertaining and engrossing. I easily devoured this book in one sitting.
The various viewpoints and voices on these pages have interesting and well rounded perspectives about the horrors perpetrated by Holmes, and I loved it. I found many of the voices in the poems to be utterly bone chilling but morbidly beautiful.
All the stars for this one!!! Can I give it more than 5 stars? I would totally recommend this for anyone who enjoys horror, true crime, poetry, serial killers, history or just damn good writing. This book left me wanting more from Sara Tantlinger and more horror poetry.
I was blown away by this collection I received in the Nov 2019 Night Worms package. There obviously was so much research and background work done to pull this poetry collection together.
I actually learned so much about H. H. Holmes that I didn’t know prior to reading. To be honest, I had a basic background of the serial killer and his crimes, but this poetry collection enhanced and added so much to my knowledge while also being so entertaining and engrossing. I easily devoured this book in one sitting.
The various viewpoints and voices on these pages have interesting and well rounded perspectives about the horrors perpetrated by Holmes, and I loved it. I found many of the voices in the poems to be utterly bone chilling but morbidly beautiful.
All the stars for this one!!! Can I give it more than 5 stars? I would totally recommend this for anyone who enjoys horror, true crime, poetry, serial killers, history or just damn good writing. This book left me wanting more from Sara Tantlinger and more horror poetry.
mdominiak3's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75