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Book Review of The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America

The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America
Grazona avatar reviewed on + 119 more book reviews


I decided to read this book because it had gotten such great reviews. I like historical fiction and thought this was written to feel that way. It ended up being a big disappointment for me. I liked the story and the information presented, especially once it got to the actual fair happening. I did learn a lot of interesting things about American history but I found the book to be extremely slow and dry. Yes, there is a story about a serial killer but it's not as vivid and compelling as reviews of the book led me to believe. I think you have to really enjoy history to truly appreciate this book. It took me almost two months to get through it, which is very slow for me but my father-in-law is a retired history teacher and he read it in 24 hours. Keep that in mind when considering whether or not you want to read this one!