Reviews

The Alienist by Caleb Carr

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gred05's review against another edition

4.0

I wanted to read this book before watching the tv series. The characters were well developed and the main storyline kept me guessing until the end. The end is what brought my initial 5 star review to 4 stars. It was disappointing to not learn more about the killers reasoning behind his selection of the young boys to kill. Left me pretty bummed to not get real answers, but that is life. Would highly recommend giving this book a go.

jhbandcats's review

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adventurous challenging dark informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

As a fan of Caleb Carr, I was floored to see a recent interview where he announced he had terminal cancer. He was describing his newest book, My Beloved Monster, a memoir of his life with a semi-feral cat which also addressed his abusive childhood. Because I loved both cats and Carr, I had to read that book.

I finished the memoir a few days ago and immediately started The Alienist. When I first read it, Google didn’t exist and I knew nothing of Carr’s history. Reading it now was a very different experience than in 1994. I understood Carr’s references and had images of old New York at my fingertips, able to see High Bridge Tower, Croton Reservoir, and other landmarks.

I could see Carr’s childhood everywhere in the book. His knowledge about alcoholic and abusive parents clearly comes from experience. That and his study of New York City give a vivid feel to the whole book, despite its taking place a century earlier than when written.

The Alienist is a page-turner but it’s not for the faint of heart looking for a beach read. It addresses class and wealth and education, power and corruption, mental illness and the care of the mentally ill, the desperation that drives children into prostitution, and the violence that results from continued abuse and bullying. It’s a beautifully written story about a terrible time when terrible things happened all too frequently.

Content Warnings

laurenjwong's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

jmrprice's review against another edition

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3.0

A throughly engrossing historical novel covering an investigation of a series of murders in 1896 in New York City. What makes it so interesting is the inclusion of nascent psychological theories to solve the case.

Read as a recommendation from my favorite librarians at the Leavenworth Public Library.