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The Alienist

Book 1 in the series:Dr. Laszlo Kreizler

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Set in late 19th century New York City, 'The Alienist' by Caleb Carr follows a team of individuals, including the alienist Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, crime reporter John Moore, and a few detectives, as they track down a serial killer targeting young boys and possibly young girls. The novel intertwines historical figures like Theodore Roosevelt with fictional characters to create a gripping psychological thriller. Through detailed historical research, the author recreates the atmosphere of the period, delving into the birth of American profiling and modern forensic science.

The book is a complex blend of mystery, thriller, and historical fiction, providing a rich historical portrait of New York City while also delivering a suspenseful detective story utilizing early psychological profiling techniques. The narrative is filled with chilling details and vivid descriptions that bring the city to life, immersing readers in the gritty yet intriguing world of criminal investigation in the late 1800s.

Characters:

The characters are well-developed, showcasing a mix of historical figures and fictional creations; they represent various societal issues and personal struggles of the era.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by rich descriptions and historical context, but can be dense and slow at times, which may detract from the pacing.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot revolves around the investigation of a serial killer targeting young male prostitutes in 1896 New York City, led by psychologist Dr. Laszlo Kreizler and his team, who use nascent forensic techniques to profile the murderer and uncover dark societal issues.

Setting:

The setting is a richly depicted 1896 New York City, characterized by stark contrasts between wealth and poverty, corruption, and the evolution of modern forensic techniques.

Pacing:

The pacing is uneven, with a slow start that evolves into a more gripping and engaging narrative as the investigation unfolds.
The words as I write them make as little sense as did the sight of his coffin descending into a patch of sandy soil near Sagamore Hill, the place he loved more than any other on earth. As I stood ther...

Notes:

The Alienist is set in New York City in 1896, during a time when police corruption was rampant.
The main character, Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, is a psychologist, referred to as an 'alienist' at that time.
The story revolves around the murders of young male prostitutes, and the team must fight against societal indifference to their plight.
Theodore Roosevelt, who was the police commissioner of NYC, plays a significant role in the investigation.
Kreizler and his team are considered pioneers of profiling and forensic psychology.
Real historical figures, such as J.P. Morgan, make appearances in the novel, weaving fiction with actual history.
Fingerprinting and psychological profiling are among the new investigative techniques explored in the story, which were not widely accepted at that time.
The novel highlights the severe living conditions of the immigrant communities in NYC during the Gilded Age.
The author, Caleb Carr, conducted extensive research to accurately portray the historical setting and social issues of the time.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings for The Alienist include graphic depictions of violence, child murder, child prostitution, and dark themes surrounding mental illness.

From The Publisher:

A new breed of evil in Old New York

New York, 1886: Lower Manhattan's underworld is ruled by a new generation of cold-blooded criminals...Police Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt battles widespread corruption within the department's ranks...and a shockingly brutal murder sets off an investigation that could change crime-fighting forever.

In the middle of a wintry March night, New York Times reporter John Moore is summoned to the East River by his friend Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, a brilliant pioneer in the new and much-maligned discipline of psychology, the emerging study of society's "alienated" mentally ill. There they view the horribly mutilated body of a young boy, a prostitute from one of Manhattan's infamous brothels. Supervised by Commissioner Roosevelt, the newsman and his "alienist" mentor embark on a revolutionary attempt to identify the killer by assembling his psychological profile - a dangerous quest that takes them into the tortured past and twisted mind of a murderer who has killed before...and will kill again before the hunt is over.

As rich in vivid period ambience as Ragtime and Time and Again, and as relentlessly suspenseful as Red Dragon or The Silence of the Lambs, The Alienist will take you to a New York that no longer exists - to confront an evil of timeless savagery.

Ratings (40)

Incredible (7)
Loved It (15)
Liked It (7)
It Was OK (11)

Reader Stats (92):

Read It (41)
Currently Reading (1)
Want To Read (38)
Did Not Finish (2)
Not Interested (10)

1 comment(s)

It Was OK
7 months

Well, I'm disappointed. I have seriously expected something more. I haven't read many historical mysteries but I generally like the ones I did. I also generally enjoyed this one but I had some higher expectations.

The author made a great research to write this book, the problem is that he feels the urge to present it to the reader. So we are flooded with plenty of information about every detail and descriptions of every place. As a result the book has a rather slow pace. I was skipping some parts just to follow the main story. I was totally not absorbed by the history of every building and town mention in the book.

Also, I had some problem with the characters. The narration is conducted from the first person point of view which is unquestionably not my favourite one. And John Moore, the narrator, is somehow plain. I can't say I didn't like him, I just didn't care. The same applies to the other characters.

And I'm not really sure if I support the way they conducted the investigation. I'm afraid there is too much guessing in all their procedures.

I'm not looking forward to reading the next book in this series any time soon, especially that it took me nearly a week to read this book.

 

About the Author:

Caleb Carr is the critically acclaimed author of The Alienist, The Angel of Darkness, The Lessons of Terror, Killing Time, The Devil Soldier, The Italian Secretary, The Legend of Broken, and Surrender, New York. He has taught military history at Bard College, and worked extensively in film, television, and the theater. His military and political writings have appeared in numerous magazines and periodicals, among them The Washington Post, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. He lives in upstate New York.

 
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