The Alienist

Rating:
Summary: Should have left it in the sale bin
Review: I picked this up to complete a 5 used books for $... at the suggestion of the store clerk. It will soon be finding its way back into that bin.

I couldn't get past the description of the first victim. The dialogue was stilted, the descriptions were way too graphic for my taste, and I found that I just wasn't interested in the story of a group of folks in turn of the century New York City trying to solve a serial murder case.

Rating:
Summary: raised indian and killing young boys
Review: the subject matter revolving the serial killer in this book is a tough one to read thru but also one that you find tough to put donw. my carr's writing style is engrossing and his use of historical references to ny in the late 1800's is interesting. a great read

Rating:
Summary: But the dialogue sounds ever so 1996!
Review: Like so many of the less positive reviewers here, I recalled nothing but glowing praise for this book when it appeared some years ago. I saw an unabridged audio version at the library (14 cassettes!!) and decided to give it a try in the car.

Well-- the actor was superb in this Blackstone audio version, and I hope he got a break after the herculean feat of reading every last word. That said, I found the book itself a real disappointment. For every intriguing bit of historical detail regarding NYC architecture of 1896, there was an incredibly anachronistic conversation. It got to the point where I had a hard time focussing on the story through my astonishment at the dialogue. Besides its utterly un-historical tone and vocabulary, there was a good 50% too much of it for my tastes-- like so many recent novels, it seems to have been designed more as a movie or TV script. Banter galore! If you like that sort of thing along with with your serial murders, and you prefer your Victorians to speak like well-mannered TV detectives (network, not PBS!), this might have some appeal. Also anachronistic were some of the scenes with Cyrus-- I just can't believe that a black man, even in evening dress, would have been admitted to the Met in 1896. I'd be happy to see evidence to the contrary, but that seemed like one of the most inventive elements of the entire novel!;-)

As for the story itself, it was okay, but it, too, could have been greatly improved via some responsible and experienced editing. Other reviewers have commented on lack of depth in the characters-- I think they would have seemed stronger without the diluting effect of a good 50% too much text!

Rating:
Summary: Great crime novel
Review: I was anxiously awaiting this book, and it did not disappoint! I always enjoy a good crime story/mystery, and this one fit the bill. The historical aspects of New York in the 1890s were very well-researched. The action was nearly non-stop, and the characters were truly fascinating and deep. However, I felt that things were wrapped up rather quickly, and it was somewhat muddled in the very end. Overall, a wonderful read... I read the 594 pages in 3 days! Could not put it down.

Rating:
Summary: Strong book - weak ending
Review: I couldn't put this book down. I carried the book with me for two days and read it every chance I got. Perhaps that was why I was so disappointed when I reached the ending. It was such a weak and entirely unbelievable finish. One always has to engage in a certain amount of "suspension of belief" when reading a novel, but Mr. Carr's ending required much more. For instance, how did Sara "figure out" where Kreitzler and Moore had gone for the meeting with the killer? And the multiple shootings, with Connor shooting Beckman just as Moore was holding a gun to his chest, then Sara shooting Connor! Come now. This is more like something from "Naked Gun". It really is a very well-written book, but it seems like Mr. Carr couldn't tie it all up.

Rating:
Summary: How is your staying power?
Review: One really needs staying the course capabilities to read entirely through this book. It also gets a bit gritty. But if you like a lot of reality in you mystery reading this is indeed the book for you.

Rating:
Summary: Lost in ninteenth century New York City
Review: Outstading descriptions of life in ninteenth century NYC brings readers back in time. Creepy and intriguing mystery that kept me enrapt til the stunning conclusion. 4 1/2 stars

Also recommended: "The Cabinet of Curiosities" by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.

Rating:
Summary: 'Silence of the Lambs' meets Jack the Ripper (so to speak)
Review: New York City, 1896. A serial killer is on the loose, gruesomely preying upon cross-dressing boy prostitutes. Police detectives are making no progress solving the ghastly crimes. In fact, someone with power or influence seems to be bent on silencing witnesses and thwarting any investigation. Reform-minded police commissioner Theodore Roosevelt (yes, the same TR who later became president), determined to catch the killer, assembles an unconventional group of investigators headed by "alienist" Dr. Lazlo Kreizler. (In the 19th century, when psychology was in its infancy, the mentally ill were considered "alienated" from themselves and society, and the experts who treated them were known as "alienists.")

Dr. Kreizler's team includes his former Harvard classmate, New York Times crime reporter John Moore; Moore's longtime friend, spitfire heiress-turned-NYPD-secretary Sara Hamilton; and two former mental patients who now work as his servants.

To help identify the killer--who leaves behind very few clues, manages to spirit his victims out of locked rooms, and passes through the city unnoticed--the team attempts to develop a psychological profile of the type of person who would be capable of such horrendous deeds. The novelty of their approach does not win them any fans from the mental-health establishment or most NYPD detectives, and throughout the novel, they attempt to keep their involvement secret.

Author Caleb Carr puts his historical background to fascinating use. "The Alienist" is filled with rich details about both the seamier underside and more privileged parts of late-19th-century New York City and the then-novel crime detection techniques. Detectives Lucius and Marcus Isaacson, assigned to assist the investigation, employ the not-yet-accepted science of fingerprinting and other methods of identification in their hunt for the killer.

"The Alienist" is one of the few murder mysteries that I have ever enjoyed reading a second time. The characters are memorable, dryly amusing at times, and always fascinating. Carr portrays his victims as humans and individuals, rather than sensationalizing their professions. The plot, including a race against time once the team predicts when the killer is likely to strike again, moves along at a brisk pace. The historical detail advances the plot rather than bogging it down.

Lovers of historical fiction and detective mysteries will find a treat in "The Alienist."

Rating:
Summary: Before "Serial Killers" were known to exist..........
Review: ...........there were people smart enough to know that some killers, kill due to mental illness and with a pattern. This book follows a few people in early 1900's NY that are trying to catch a suspected serial killer before "profiling" actually existed. I highly recommend this book to everyone that likes an intelligent and challenging journey.

Rating:
Summary: Historical Fiction at it's best!
Review: The other reviews listed really get into the plot of the story, so I'll stay away from that! What an engaging read. I was amazed at the truthfulness of the historical setting, the development of the characters was phenomenal, and Mr. Carr entranced me with his writing! I felt as if I was a member of their little group trying to discover the answers to their mystery. I had a really tough time putting this book down...I had to find out what happened next. I had to get all of Carr's other books!