Average Rating: 7.35(Verify Date)
Rebecca: 6.0 - Hated history in HS. Wanted the book to focus on one story, not both. Wasn't engaged or excited to read, but loved parts of it - the historical tidbits about AC/DC electric current, the Ferris Wheel, etc.
Tina: 7.5 - (pg. 230) Enjoyed both stories - liked the murder story better, but was enthralled by the shaping of history, Ferris, Marshall Field. Had to wait for action and closure, was not motivated to read.
Rachel: 8.0 - Liked both stories. Did not like that they were not connected. Like the historical references, was interested in Chicago.
Erin: 7.0 - Like the book and history, but had no climax. Comparing Burnham/White City to Holmes/Dark Hotel was like comparing heaven and hell. Would have liked more Holmes development.
Dana: 7.0 - Liked the book, but there was no emotion. All written in 3rd person, heartless killings, details of the fair dragged on, did not feel she grasped all the concepts.
Sara: 5.0 - Did not love it. Forced herself to read it. Didn't think the stories were intertwined, no emotion, Holmes did not intrigue her.
Anne: 8.25 - Hates history, but loved the book because it brought people and events together. It was easy to make connections, liked the World Fair story better than Holmes' story, thought Holmes was arrogant.
Erika: 8.0 - Liked both parts of the book. Enjoyed the part of the start of the Pledge of Allegiance the best and all the historical references.
1 comment:
COMMENTS FROM BECKY
(IN IRAQ)
Ladies, I am very overdue for this book review. I actually finished it in time, but haven't been near a computer and had the book at the same time. I like to take notes in the back of the book, which makes my review more cohesive. Well, it's been too long. I am almost ready to blog on the next book, so here I go without my book.
This is one of my favorite books thus far (My Sister's Keeper still at the top though). I give it a 9.5 for a few reasons. I liked the two stories and how they happen at the same time in the same city, but in two different worlds. I also loved the non-fiction aspect of it. It taught me so much about our history, and I was amazed by all the things that were invented and created because of the World Fair.
When I was young, I used to marvel at how different we all are. I would sit in the back seat of the car and watch all the different cars drive by. Every car had people in it I didn't know. I didn't know their names, where they were going, what their lives were like. However, there they were, sharing my space. I was living my life with everything that makes up my environment and so were they, but didn't have the faintest idea who each other were. We live our lives thinking our life is the most important because our consciousness tells us everything is affecting us, and it is - to us. Everyone is going through the same thing, millions of us. This is what the book reminded me of. That we share the same space, the same overlapping parts of life, but don't know anything about each other. One could be a genius and the other a killer, but we never know. It could be the person sitting next to you on the bus; there are just so many different people in the world.
My favorite part of the book though, is the reality of it all. It's based on facts. Sure, there is some novelty about it which makes the story a little more interesting to read about, but what a story. I honestly would have to say I didn't know anything about the Chicago World Fair before this, nor did I know much about our country's history around the late 1800s. I didn't know that 'white washing' came about because of the fair. I didn't know the Farris Wheel was invented then by Mr. Farris for the fair. I didn't realize all the inventions they were just introducing at the fair at that time. I didn't realize the impact the electrical choices had on the future of our country. This is just a tiny bit of it. I wrote so much more down in my book (which is packed away in a bag, in a connex).
I loved the book and would recommend it to anyone that likes non-fiction, anyone that cares to read and learn at the same time, and anyone that just wants to read something a little different from what they might normally read.
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