pineconek's Reviews (816)

There's no other way to slice it - this book was not for me. As much as I can appreciate the amount of work that went into such a detailed text, it just fell flat for me. As other reviewers have pointed out, it's closer to "here's a book about the world fair... also btw HH Holmes happened". I learned a few cool things that I probably wouldn't have otherwise, but not necessarily on topics that I was particularly curious about.

That said, the book was extremely readable and easy to get through. The writing was fantastic, and I'd highly recommend this to anyone who wants to know more about the Chicago World Fair. Unfortunately, that person isn't me.

This is such an excellent read. Michelle's writing is grilling and vivid. She provides insight into the true horrors of the situations in ways that even seasoned true crime fans will be moved. The forward, afterword, photos, editors notes, etc... That frame the book beautifully honour Michelle's life as well as the lives of the victims.
It's strange to read this book and all the bits about dna when we know that's actually how this story ended, and not long after the book was finished.
Anyway, I'd definitely recommend this to anyone interested in reading a human-oriented timeline of the crimes and the investigation.

Quick read and explored some interesting ideas. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style which made reading this fun. My favourite scenes were the ones exploring Jean's relationship with Steven - a weird reversal of "no mom, you don't understand!! This new way of thinking is right!!". The ending was somewhat rushed but the journey was nevertheless pleasant.

I went in expecting feminist sci-fi exploring a particular idea and got that (albeit a somewhat shallow exploration). I also got a weird amount of references to my thesis, which makes this the third neuroscience themed book I accidentally read this summer.

I have mixed feelings about this one. Some parts were fantastic, others dragged on. I wasn't sure if I'd finish this book about halfway through, and couldn't put the last quarter down. That said, it's a classic for a reason.

This book is so weird and I love it. I read explanations and analyses of it for hours after finishing it, and definitely want to pick it up again for a more informed reread. Want alchemy? Murder? Weird childhoods? Unreliable narrators? Conspiracy theories with yourself? All there, against a quiet biographical backdrop. This book is cool.

Read this for book club - we all liked it, but I don't think anyone loved it. It's a fun sci-fi novel with some cool twists and turns. Who's loyal? What's real? What's the real mission here?

I went through a huge ChuckP phase around late high school/early undergrad, which means I read Fight Club 4-5 times. This book is great, accessible, clever, and really fun. It's also given rise to some pretty questionable interpretations - as such, I like Fight Club but am wary of anyone who tells me that they like Fight Club. Your mileage may vary.

One of the most important, validating, and insightful books about domestic violence. This book has helped so many abuse survivors understand what happened to them and why. It's a force for good in the world.

I understand all the criticisms of Foer and I love him nevertheless. I grew up in an Eastern European family that immigrated to North America and deeply affected by the holocaust and everything that followed. Our entire social circle was comprised of these types of families. I see myself (and them) in this book - tackling themes of trauma, memory, identity, love, family history, loyalty... I'm not sure if I'd love this book if I didn't relate so completely to it.

Stephen King's fun. This book had a lot of heart and was a great exploration of "what IF the government is kidnapping children with psychic powers to use them for homeland safety??" and it was done right. A pleasure to read.