The Alienist

Rating:
Summary: Pretty lousy
Review: I just had to add to the list of those who found this book tediously predictable, sophomorically written, and seriously boring.

Rating:
Summary: don't rush to read
Review: the premise was interesting; however, it seemed to drag . . . it seems from other reviews that you either loved this or did not . . . count me in latter category.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I've read.
Review: About the first criminal to be recognized as a serial killer in American history, The Alienist is an awesomely terrifying book full of true accounts on one of the most gruesome sex offenders in history. I do recomend it to the strong-stomached because it is really extensive in detail; as in it describes the scenes of the crimes of the crimes commited.

Rating:
Summary: Another overrated bestseller
Review: Carr has obviously done his research, but he wears it on his sleeve. Creative Writing 101 would have taught him that shoveling on research or backstory is not the way to engage the reader. For example, when they first go to Delmonico's, Carr brings the story to a halt by launching into several pages of dry narrative on the history of the restaurant. He could learn a few things from historical Romance -- it's true, don't laugh. Romance writers like Penelope Williamson, and others, demonstrate how rich historical detail can be seamlessly woven into narrative and dialog.

Rating:
Summary: Starts with a bang! Ends with a fizzle.
Review: The first 10 chapters of this book are among the best I have read. I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the way that Carr brought the reader inside the character of Moore and made him/her see the world through his eyes. That was great. I enjoyed the character of Kriezler immensely. The whole setup of the story was mesmerizing and made my heart rage as the team was assembled and they learned slowly about the killer. The way that Carr slowly dished out pieces of information to the reader was brilliant and the way he ended each chapter with a curious lead in to the next kept me up way past midnight almost every night I sat down to read this book. The only problem I had was the way that it ended. The book built to a crescendo and then died without enough suspense. Other than that it was one of the best books that I have ever read. By the way, if anyone can help me figure out the significance or the symbolism of the last line I would appreciate it.

Rating:
Summary: riveting, rich, genuine, brilliant, better than a 10
Review: Mr. Carr has written a remarkable book with full, crystallized characters. The plot is more than engaging and the interactions of the characters within their environment are complex and realistic. The villian is mysterious and yet could be anyone, if our experiences were slightly different. Mr. Carr has captured the anti-social personality as well as the psychiatric explorer characters so realistically. I couldn't put it down and now that I have completed it I am sorry that there it wasn't longer. Bravo to Mr. Carr. I am envious and grateful that he took such effort to so brilliantly place pen to paper. I hope he keeps it up.

Rating:
Summary: A simple pulp thriller aspiring to literature (no such luck)
Review: Don't be fooled by this book--Carr tries his hand at crafting prose that he obviously hopes will be considered Literature. But he flies too close to the sun, and this book is ultimately just pulp fiction and not even up to Stephen King or Ken Follett standards. Carr overeaches his ability as a writer in most of his imagery and he frequently seems to use language to impress the reader with his vocabulary. ALso not a teribbly inspired plot -- I expected a more clever wrap-up.

Rating:
Summary: DRAWN OUT, DULL & BORING
Review: This was simply the kind of book you could very easily put down. It took over a year (and some serious "stick-with-it-ness") to finish this book. Carr does a great job of presenting historical New York, but for a mystery/thriller I found it to be slow paced and uncaptivating.

Rating:
Summary: Scary, fascinating, and satisfying.
Review: Everyone has an opinion, but I found this book a fascinating read. Some works of historical fiction come out reading more like textbooks than novels, but I found Carr's style and presentation to be a very balanced approach that throws the unpleasant underside of life in that period into sharp focus. The characters, even the peripheral ones, are realistic and believable (as is appropriate for a plot driven by human psychology), and the plot itself is impeccably logical without feeling contrived. I look forward to reading the new sequel.

Rating:
Summary: Incredible--a gripping story that sucks you in.
Review: It's been about a year since I read The Alienist, but I couldn't help but add my review. This book gripped me and pulled me right in--it's as if I was sitting in front of the chalkboard and helping unearth clues with the rest of the team. This book was intense and horrifyingly graphic, but I couldn't be put off from finishing it. Because of this book, I am now an avid reader of serial killer novels. I've read some very interesting books, but none have captivated and stayed with me like The Alienist.