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ClareR (6134 KP) rated I Have Some Questions For You in Books

Dec 22, 2025  
I Have Some Questions For You
I Have Some Questions For You
Rebecca Makkai | 2023 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, Mystery
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I didn’t quite know what to make of this novel. It’s a true crime style story, that reads as literary fiction, and the mystery just went on too long. There were a lot of issues to deal with - it was just too busy. I couldn’t even prioritise the order of the storylines, it was as though they were all thrown at the book. What I like about a good crime story is usually the ‘tightness’ of the storyline, and this just didn’t do that. The characters would just deal with one thing, and suddenly something else would be thrown into the mix. It really did test my concentration levels!!

I loved Rebecca Makkai’s previous novel, and I’d had high hopes for this. Will I read her next book? Yes, I probably will - I still remember The Great Believers and know that she has written something I’ve really enjoyed. Just not this book.
  
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Dianne Robbins (1738 KP) rated The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness in Books

Dec 2, 2018  
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness
Erik Larson | 2004 | Crime, History & Politics, Reference
4
7.0 (16 Ratings)
Book Rating
Not so much murder, magic, and madness
I'm a true crime junkie, aka murderino, so of course, I looked forward to reading this book. The title and description sounded great and I previously read another book, Isaac's Storm, about the 1900 Galveston hurricane, by Eric Larson, which was fascinating as he did a ton of research and brought that book to life. Though it's been 8 years since I've read Isaac's storm, I remember the stories he told as he narrative made you feel you were there. I expected the same with this book, but alas, that was not the case. Instead, I got pages upon pages of details about rivets and the meetings between city councilmen and architects and city permits needed to build everything. OMG, seriously? Why? There are a few stories in the book that are interesting such as the creation of the first Ferris wheel, some of the exhibits and entertainers and drama of the World's Fair. There is a little information about H.H. Holmes, his murder castle, and crimes but not as much detail as any true crime buff has already read someplace else. And what there is about Holmes is a dry recitation of facts, nothing intriguing at all. I was extremely disappointed in his coverage of the events in this book. The title made it sound exciting but it was mostly just drudgery.