"Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson is a brilliant work of non-fiction that chronicles the story of two men, one an architect and the other a serial killer, who were operating in the city of Chicago during the 1893 World's Fair. The book weaves together the stories of these two men, and in doing so, brings to life the grandeur and excitement of the fair, as well as the darkness and horror of the murders.
The main character of the book is Daniel Burnham, who was the architect in charge of organizing the construction of the World's Fair. Burnham was an architect of great vision, who had been responsible for numerous projects throughout the country before being given the monumental task of organizing the fair. Larson's book follows Burnham's journey as he worked tirelessly to ensure that the fair would be a success. Burnham's drive, his passion, and his attention to detail are all reflected in the book. More importantly, the book presents Burnham as the hero of the story, the one who is fighting against the odds to create something extraordinary.
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H. H. Holmes, is the exact opposite. Holmes is the notorious serial killer who was operating in Chicago at the time of the fair. Holmes was a maniacal killer who had built a hotel that was specifically designed to lure in unsuspecting guests and murder them in gruesome ways. Larson's portrayal of Holmes is chilling, but not over the top. The book traces Holmes' murders, his cunning ways of escaping detection, and the eventual capture and execution of the