Rating: 
Summary: Do not read this book based on the title!
Review: I was very disappointed. This book was so over-hyped. If you are looking for what is promised in the title you will be sorely mistaken. If you are looking to learn more about the Chicago's Columbian exposition, sure, it is interesting. The murderer - forgetaboutit. There are some 375 pages in the book - about 75 of them talk about the "murderer/devil." For example, I will read some 10 pages of fodder about the landscape architect and the challenges he has getting the right flowers to plant and dinner parties the designers had - complete with dinner menu's (why?). Interspersed the reader gets sometimes as little as a page and half devoted to the "murderer/devil." Furthermore, the only thing this murderer has to do with the Fair is that they happen around the same time! For that matter he could have written about the development of L tracks built next to the murderer's hotel.
In short, don't waste your money.
Rating: 
Summary: Chitown Says Promise Undelivered - A Snoozer
Review: I live in Chi-town. Intriguing premise sells books. Essentially two stories, one about the world's fair and one about a murderer residing in Chicago at the same time. Albeit non-fiction, the writer fails to intertwine the two stories within the story. If you read on, waiting for some culminating point where the author brings it all together, you'll be sadly disappointed. It doesn't happen. Larson obviously must be good at deciphering old letters and then translating that into a book. If you want to learn about Burnham and the early days of architecture in Chicago, buy another book. If you want to read a fictional account about a "serial" killer at the turn of the century, read "The Alienist." If you want to fall asleep at night fast, buy "Devil in the White City," cause it's a snoozer.
Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating view of history
Review: This is a fascinating view of turn-of-the-century Chicago (and US) history. I was astounded to read about all of the "firsts" that the Columbian Exposition represented - including the first Ferris Wheel - and enjoyed the writing as well. I was less interested in the serial killer part of the story, which did not seem as well developed as the history of the fair. Being an ex-Chicagoan, and a fan of Victorian-era history, I thought was was a terrific read.
Rating:
Summary: A Totally Engaging Read
Review: Erik Larson's Devil in the White City is a totally engaging read. It's a lively, well-written story about the planning of the Chicago World's Fair, intertwined with the story of H.H. Holmes, the mass murderer who committed many of his crimes in his hotel of horrors not far from the site of the fair. Larson tells the story of Daniel Burnham, the architect who essentially got the seemingly impossible accomplishment of the fair itself accomplished. The stories of the fair, and of Burnham's effort are inspiring. Holmes' story, which is always lurking in the background is disturbing, yet never does it sink to any sort of lurid level. The book is a compelling read. I have read several reviewers comments here that they were dissappointed that Larson never managed to quite tie the two stories together. Personally, I think they were linked enough and were told in a manner that kept the narrative flow moving along. I generally don't read nonfiction, but I found this book very enjoyable, very readable.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent telling of a turbulent time in our history
Review: I usually don't like historical literature because they tend to dwell too heavily on fact and they don't give enough attention to character and story. Larson does not have this problem. The Devil in the White City combines a fascinating point in time (the creation of the Chicago World's Fair) with the frightening events surrounding an historical character of that time: a morbid yet fascinating serial killer, who preyed on ladies at the fair (among others). Did Erik Larson luck out and stumble upon a story so fascinating that his book had no choice but to succeed? Maybe, but critiquing the book as an author I find it well written and complex enough to stand up on its own strengths. I look forward to new works by Larson, should they appear.(Also, he has a great name... what can I say?)
Rating:
Summary: Slow in parts
Review: The part of this book that most impressed me were the endnotes. Larson put a tremendous amount of research into the book, which is no small feat. Except for a few exceptions where he made it clear he was speculating, he only used documented quotes. And yet unlike many scholarly history books, it was interesting and readable. However, the book was slow in parts. I often wanted to speed through the chapters about Burnham and the tedious construction of the fair, which seem to go on and on, to get to the more riveting parts about H.H. Holmes and his managery of evil. It seems to take Larson forever to get to the actual fair. But, when he does, it is grand. It is hard to imagine such an event, with the president of the U.S., Helen Keller, Frank Lloyd Wright, Buffalo Bill, Annie Oakley, and other lengendaries wandering about, taking rides on the magnificent first Ferris Wheel. I recommend this book. I learned a great deal about America in the Guilded Age and the legacy of the World Colombian Expidition. But, be warned, because he took two dissimilar subjects and tried to weave them together, some parts will probably interest you more than others. If you can wade through some of the more tedious chapters, better ones await.
Rating:
Summary: Space, place and crime
Review: The Devil in the White City is a ripping good read, but it's also chock-a-block full of information. Where other reviews mention that Larson's work tells the story of two men, they seem to overlook that it tells an equally fascinating account about architecture, geography, urban planning, political machinations, civic rivalry, and social conditions, as well as marking a pivotal turning point in the way the Western city is imagined and constructed. I wonder if it is, in fact, only in such an urban environment as the Black City (Chicago beyond the grounds of the world's fairgrounds of the White City) that such horrific crime can occur; in the smaller towns and villages, hidden murderers could benefit so much less from the anonymity of their victims. Perhaps it is the post-White City urban world that has allowed the serial killer monster to thrive, where we knew them not before that time. I heartily recommend this book to anyone who wants a page-turner that also makes you think.
Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable, but rather disconnected
Review: So two events occur close in time and proximity to each other. Does that necessarily make them a connected tale? Erik Larson seems to think so, but readers of "The Devil in the White City" might disagree that a mass murderer living in Chicago had much to do with the story of the Chicago world fair. In fact, after reading the intro, I was lead to believe that Larson would make clear 1.) Why the Chicago fair was perceived as the most important event since the Civil War, and 2.) what exactly the connection was between H.H. Holmes, a serial killer, and Burnham, the architect of the World's Fair. In the end, I was left with two answers...1.) who knows? and 2.) no connection whatsoever. As for point number one: Larson stretches in his efforts to make the Chicago fair interesting reading over a century later. For example, in the start of the book, Larson goes for shock value by stating that one of the fair's architects was on a doomed ship on April 14, 1912. Of course, the reader can figure out quickly that that ship was the Titanic, but am I shocked? Larson alludes to a curse, a curse that never materializes in the rest of the book. Certainly, there were some deaths, mostly natural. But nothing even approaching strange or mysterious. Likewise, later in the book, Larson mentions that a dancer at the fair later was a stripper for someone involved in the fair's construction. An interesting fact, but hardly anything to end a chapter on. Much of the book relies on "coincidences" like this like that are barely coincidental. As for the disjointed plots: Larson follows two stories here, and tries (unsuccessfully) to unite them into one coherent storyline. He switches between topics every chapter...one for the murder story, and one for the story of the world fair, but honestly, I have no clue as to why they are included in the same book. Both stories are interesting, but at the conclusion of the book I was as in the dark as to what the two had to do with each other as I was in the beginning. I was looking for a connection that Larson was unable to deliver. The architecture and history of the Chicago world fair are fascinating, especially the description of the first Ferris wheel, and who doesn't like reading about a serial killer? That's why I give it three stars...for pure entertainment value, I enjoyed this book. So for all the harping I've done about this book's faults, if you can look past them and lower your expectations, the book is interesting and quick-paced enough to be truly enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: Great book, just a few problems
Review: I really enjoyed the book. I already knew quite a bit about H. Holmes from previous books and articles. Most interesting for me was all the information regarding Burnham and the fair. Considering the fact that the author is not a Chicagoan, I thought he did a superior job. With all that in mind I discovered a few errors: 1) Holmes had purchased a pharmacy on the northwest corner of 63rd and Wallace. His new pharmacy was being built directly across 63rd St. not across Wallace as per book. 2)Address of Holmes castle is given as 701 W 63rd St. That is somewhat inaccurate if you were to try and locate it's former site. Chicago realigned it's address system in 1908. What was formerly 701 w 63rd became as it is today, 601 E 63rd St. 3) Regarding the Lorado Taft sculpture at Graceland cemetary, the statue was completed in 1909. Taft's signature and date are displayed at the base of the statue. Holmes could not have witnessed this spooky monument of death. 4) Serious error in saying Holmes' castle burned down. The same castle was present in 1938. The Chicago Tribune magazine from 2/2/03 printed a 1938 photo of the building. The photo is very powerful because you can see the alley-L behind the building. With this photo and visiting the current site you get great perspective as to where castle sat because the same 'L' structure is still present and unchanged. 5) The book suggests that all buildings from the fair eventually burned down or were torn down. The present day Museum of Science and Industry was the "Gallery of Fine Arts" during the fair. It was built as all the rest as a temporary structure but with major renovation was made into a solid permanent building. 6) The book deperately needed photographs and maps. Many are available. Diagrams of the castle also exist. A map showing the proximity of Holmes' castle to the fair would have been useful. I have a book that even shows the house that was Burnham and Roots first project, that being the Sherman home at 2100 s Prarie. (long since demolished) The stockyard gate by B&R still stands as does Roots beautiful home on Astor St. where he died. Again pictures would have enhanced the book greatly. Despite the above complaints, I LOVED THE BOOK! Thanks!
Rating:
Summary: Compelling, Fascinating and Intriguing
Review: True, the story is somewhat disjointed--almost without exception, the chapters alternate between the two storylines. Some may dislike this, but I thought it was great. The only true commonality between the two is that both were going on in the same city at roughly the same time, but I enjoyed the juxtaposition of two opposing storylines. One showed the grander side of human achievement while the other showed the darker side of humanity. However, they both showed the resourcefulness and ingenuity of brilliant minds. As a side note, I was also fully intrigued to see how the World's Fair in Chicago affected what we use in our day-to-day lives today. My only complaint is that the writing is somewhat sloppy--it seemed to get sloppier as the book progressed.
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