When you hear the name Holmes you think of the fantastically brilliant Sherlock Holmes, aided by his steadfast Watson; possibly you even picture Robert Downy Jr. hurtling himself off a waterfall or riding a small, shaggy pony through the mountains. Sherlock, Robert, and Watson -- this is what you imagine when you hear Holmes, not H. H. Holmes, the charming and sophisticated but brutal murderer in Chicago during the World’s Fair.
This four part novel follows the two polar opposite yet intertwined lives of an architect and a serial killer during the Chicago World’s Fair. Larson has done his research and redefines Chicago during this time. He creates the two different plot lines to help fill in the gaps history missed, he follows Daniel Burnham through the creation of the fair while shadowing the destruction of life with Holmes.
Burnham receives the honor of designing the World’s Fair with his partner John Root. After a series of unfortunate events, Burnham struggles alone through the design and construction of the fair. He is able to successfully upstage the Eiffel Tower from the last World’s Fair with his idea of the Ferris Wheel. He unwittingly creates the perfect setting for Holmes, right on his door step.
Holmes moved to Chicago in 1886 to pursue his career as a doctor and pharmacist. He acquired a building near the future sight of the World’s Fair, Jackson Park. He used the bottom level as a store front and later turned the upper stories into the World’s Fair Hotel, the rooms riddled with secret passages, chutes to the basement, and a kiln for easy disposal of evidence. Holmes used his charm to lure in his victims, sometimes even through marriage... Holmes was a reaper in the fair, like a wolf amidst helpless sheep.
Both men start off rather successful in their respective areas. Burnham creates the Chicago World’s Fair to his design, and is almost complete with the Ferris Wheel when the fair opens in 1893. Holmes dolefully killed many people during his time in Chicago. Luckily for the lambs, the police were starting to catch on to Holmes because of his other illegal activities. Holmes fled Chicago and years later ended up getting caught and arrested for tax evasion, you could say he was like Al Capone before Capone was.
Larson’s target audience is adults and young adults who enjoy reading and learning about historical events in an indirect manner. In this novel he is showing everyone that yin cannot exist without yang, evil without good. Through the characters, Holmes and Burnham, Larson is able to relate the decline and progression of society in the late 19th century. He utilizes prismatic diction to paint an image in the reader’s mind and give us a better feel for the characters personality. Here is an example of what I was talking about, this is how Burnham viewed the ship the R.M.S. Olympic, “ ... he admired the artistry in the iron scrollwork of the balustrades and the immense dome of iron and glass that flushed the ship's core with natural light" (4). His word choice in this thought clearly shows Burnham's appreciation for architecture and it gives us an idea about his role in the novel, that of a well-educated architecture connoisseur. Larson continues to utilize this character specific diction throughout the book accompanied by direct quotes to engross us in his story. His descriptions and quotes make it possible for us to completely understand each character as if we had grown up with them.
Larson also successfully utilizes direct and complex sentences to enhance his imagery and create an apprehensive tone that shadows over the entire novel. He is able to foreshadow these events through his detailed descriptions. “He entered a world of clamor, smoke, and steam, refulgent with the scents of murdered cattle and pigs. He found it to his liking” (12). The first sentence describes the setting while the second direct sentence places one idea in our minds, he likes murder. From this thought we are able to come to the conclusion that Holmes will at some point in the novel kill because it brings him pleasure. This foreboding tone is present throughout the entire novel and gives us a premonition about what events are about to unfold.
Rating System: 1-5 (Evil to Great)
1: Moriarty
2: Lord Blackwood
3: Adler
4: Watson
5: Sherlcok
I give this book a Watson because it was able to represent historical information accurately in an unorthodox manner and it threw the reader into the shoes of the characters. It was written in a sophisticated manner and allowed the audience to connect to each character through given personal details and opinions.
