The Devil in the White City Question 1

When I was first introduced to The Devil in the White City, I didn't think much off it. I had heard about it before, but was confused as to the meaning of the title. However, it did give off a sense of mystery and intrigue that calls to the reader. Before beginning the book, I imagined that the title referred to some sort of mystery. I was also aware that the story took place in Chicago, as "The White City" was a name used to describe a part of the city.  Upon reading the prologue, the title becomes clear. The title refers to the murders that happened at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. The "devil" refers to the murderer, who compared himself to the actual creature and gave the appearance of it, while the White City was the nickname given to the fair. The prologue also opens the story up to the main character Daniel Burnham, the architect of the fair. The story itself is Burnham reminiscing about the past and remembering the terror that took place at the fair.  While the book doesn't start out as appealing, it eventually taps into the readers interest. I personally was intrigued by the descriptive language that described the crimes committed by the murderer: "Even the street-hardened members of the city's Whitechapel Club, named for the London stalking grounds of Jack the Ripper, were startled by what detectives eventually found inside and by the fact that such grisly events could have gone undiscovered for so long" (Larson 6). The imagery from this passage grabbed my attention and drew me into the story. While the title may not be as appealing to many readers, the content of the book is amazing and provides an entertaining story to enjoy.