Two books, same story. . .

. . . and both worth reading.

I apologize for the length of this one, but I had already written it, and I messed up, and now I’m pissed, but I feel like I need to do this, and you don’t really care, so. . .

The two books are Devil in the White City by Erik Larson and The Alienist by Caleb Carr. The don’t actually tell the same story, but they have a number of similarities.

1) Same time period (Devil 1893 and abouts, Alienist 1896)
2) They both take place in major American cities; Chicago for the former, New York for the latter.
3) The both feature serial killers, and in particular, the murderer Dr. H.H. Holmes.

Here’s where they diverge: Larson’s book is non-fiction, Carr’s is fiction. However, both are exceedingly easy to read, in that they are engrossing, informative, and entertaining. In fact, both read like novels (which is good for Larson, but especially good for Carr), in that they develop central characters who all go through trials, tribulations, and triumphs. There are good guys and bad guys. Setting is incredibly important, and the details are immaculate: If you are wondering what American cities were like at the turn of the 19th Century, then these two books should fill you in nicely.

The use of Holmes is interesting, because in one book he is a central character (Larson’s), whereas in the other, he is more of a side-note. Still, Carr’s book clearly owes a great deal to the story of Holmes, and I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that the true story very much so influenced his fictional one.

In Larson’s book, Holmes is one of two parallel stories, both of which I find fascinating (truth be told, I find the Holmes story the lesser of the two). The other story is that of the planning, building, and running of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. The exhibits, the architecture, the people involved, the achievements: all of it is intensely researched and soundly presented. The challenges that the fair had to overcome were enormous, even by today’s standards, and the fact that it not only took place, but was at the time the most successful non-military event in history is pretty amazing. Couple this with the story of Holmes and the ensuing investigation into his crimes, and you’ll understand why “devil” is in the title.

Carr’s book pays tribute to Holmes, in a way, and shows New York’s seedy underbelly. Granted, I didn’t think there were too many other ways to do such a thing, and yet The Alienist manages it just fine. Just as it is great that Larson writes like a novelist, it is equally commendable that Carr researched like a historian. He provides a picture of 1896 New York that would help a high school English teacher define imagery. Furthermore, he weaves the developments in psychology and criminal investigation techniques from that time period seamlessly into his story, which I guarantee will make people go: So that’s why we do that now.

In the midst of all that history is a very good crime/detective story that moves surprisingly fast for something that doesn’t miss a step in the process. In other words, I never once found my self thinking, Well, that was convenient. The detectives in the book are methodical, and Carr is careful to illustrate that without us being lost in the drudgery of what would constitute the majority of investigating.

My major fault with this book is that the ending. The investigation, the plot, ends in an acceptable manner (in that I didn’t feel there was a lack of resolution). However, although the main ending works for me, the characters’ resolutions are paltry: a single page.

Perhaps it’s just me, but when I invest so much time and energy (mental energy, folks; I’m not breathing hard and sweating as I read) into a story, only to be left in the lurch – well, there’s a reason why women want to cuddle at the end of making love.

I personally believe that a great story relies on its characters, and Carr’s book most certainly does. As such, there is an expectation that said characters not only move the plot along, but in the end, do something that allows the reader closure. I don’t necessarily need everyone to get married (although “they lived happily ever after” is a popular ending for a reason), but I do want to know how their lives turn out in the end. Remember, as an author, you went to the trouble of producing characters that I could either relate to or at least empathize with, and then you want me to just turn off my feelings for them?

Or maybe I just need to realize they’re fictional, and move on.

Either way, it’s basically a trifle when compared to the whole, and I enthusiastically recommend The Alienist and Devil in the White City.

One final note: In The Alienist, one of the major characters is New York City Police Commissioner, Theodore Roosevelt.

To that, I must simply say “Bully!”