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The Angel of Darkness (Dr. Laszlo Kreizler #2)
by
Caleb Carr
In The Angel of Darkness, Caleb Carr brings back the vivid world of his bestselling The Alienist but with a twist: this story is told by the former street urchin Stevie Taggert, whose rough life has given him wisdom beyond his years. Thus New York City, and the groundbreaking alienist Dr. Kreizler himself, are seen anew.
It is June 1897. A year has passed since Dr. Laszlo K
...moreHardcover, 629 pages
Published
June 22nd 1999
by Random House
(first published 1997)
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Love these two books. This is the sequel to The Alienist and is a turn of the century (more or less) historical mystery, set in New York. That would be last century, by the way.
I remember thinking this book was incredible the first time around. Now, 6 years later, all I could think about was how ridiculous the narration was. You can't be all like, "I'm Stevie Taggert which means I'm all about turn of the century New York street patois even though my diction is actually really elevated and the only difference between my speaking style and that of John Moore, a Harvard-educated New York Times reporter from a high society family, is that I say "what" instead of "that" but...more
Jul 05, 2008
Lauren
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction,
audiobooks
I really enjoyed The Alienist, the first book by Caleb Carr about Dr. Laszlo Kreizler and his "colleagues". When I finished that story, I was very curious for more details. Angel of Darkness picks up soon after the previous case, and the action begins almost immediately. This story is narrated by the teenage Stevie Taggert, the street kid that Dr. Kriezler has taken in, and saved from a life of crime. A Spanish diplomat's child is kidnapped in public, and the mother sees her daughter a few days...more
This is one the worst books that I've actually read all the way through...though I'm not sure why I even bothered. The author's point is that if you really believe in women's equality, you have to believe that women are as capable of evil as men. I don't disagree, but I do have some problems with the way the author attempted to prove this idea, which I think he considers more controversial than it really is. First of all, the characters in the novel who espouse the author's view are preachy, pre...more
What can I say? I picked up this book expecting it to be not as good as "The Alienist" and was satisfied with another New York adventure circa 1897.
One thing I appreciated about the book was how dark it got at times. Despite the serial killer's mutilations of children in "the Alienist", I found the killer in "The Angel of Darkness" much more terrifying, although not at first.
Then, the characters had interesting bad moments too. I was particularly affected by Stevie's love for Kat, the pre-adole...more
One thing I appreciated about the book was how dark it got at times. Despite the serial killer's mutilations of children in "the Alienist", I found the killer in "The Angel of Darkness" much more terrifying, although not at first.
Then, the characters had interesting bad moments too. I was particularly affected by Stevie's love for Kat, the pre-adole...more
Sequel to The Alienist.[return][return]A 14 month old baby is forcibly taken from the wife of an important member of the Spanish consulate in New York City. In 1897, tension between the United States and Spain, already high, is being ratcheted higher by the war parties of both nations. The abduction has the potential of setting off the spark that ignites a war.[return][return]The mother, Se
Almost as quick a read as its predecessor, this one is told from the point of view of Stevie, from his cigarette shop, as he looks back on his past. The cast is all here, and a few more characters show up, including one of the all-time bad women you'll ever read about--who unfortunately reminded me of a few people I used to know, but that's a review for another day.
NYC in the late 1890s is brought to vivid life again, but with a bit more of a bittersweet tinge to the tale, as Stevie also writes...more
NYC in the late 1890s is brought to vivid life again, but with a bit more of a bittersweet tinge to the tale, as Stevie also writes...more
Caleb Carr's follow-up to his excellent "The Alienist" puts us in yet another murder case with our group of friends -- Sara, Stevie, Cyrus, Moore, the detectives, and Dr. Kriezler. The story is told from the point of view from young Stevie Taggart and Carr constantly has to put Stevie into contrived positions to get the story told. (in one instance, he has to climb a fence and sneak up to a window in order to eavesdrop on a conversation in Vanderbilt's house. He is also lifted onto shoulders so...more
It has been quite a while since I read The Alienist, the prequel to this book, so I hadby to become reacquainted with Dr. Laszlo Kreitzler and his band of associates, having forgotten much about these characters since my last encounter. A brilliant group they are!
Caleb Carr studied history, and is deft at weaving real people and events into his novel. It is 1897. Roosevelt has left for Washington and corruption is back to its old levels in the New York City police force. Gangs threaten large par...more
Caleb Carr studied history, and is deft at weaving real people and events into his novel. It is 1897. Roosevelt has left for Washington and corruption is back to its old levels in the New York City police force. Gangs threaten large par...more
"Angel of Darkness" is Caleb Carr's wonderful sequel to late nineteenth historical crime drama set in NYC, "The Alienist". Carr brings back all of his primary characters, but moves the narrative perspective to the eyes and voice of the young Stevie Taggart, Did I enjoy the book? I stayed up until ridiculously early into the morning, in back-to-back evenings, and basically ignored my 3 kids and dog so that I could burn through the final 350 pages.
"Angel of Darkness" is part CSI, part "Law & O...more
"Angel of Darkness" is part CSI, part "Law & O...more
Quelques années après l'affaire de "L'aliéniste", l'équipe du docteur Kretzer se reforme pour enquêter sur un enlèvement d'enfant qui les entrainera sur la piste d'une criminelle endurcie.
Se déroulant quelques années après l'Aliéniste, ce roman est assez différent du premier. Déjà, le narrateur a changé, on passe du journaliste bourgeois blasé au jeune adolescent sortie de la rue.
En suite, ce n'est pas du tout le même type de criminel : alors que le premier traitait d'un serial killer (d'un quoi...more
Se déroulant quelques années après l'Aliéniste, ce roman est assez différent du premier. Déjà, le narrateur a changé, on passe du journaliste bourgeois blasé au jeune adolescent sortie de la rue.
En suite, ce n'est pas du tout le même type de criminel : alors que le premier traitait d'un serial killer (d'un quoi...more
THE ANGEL OF DARKNESS
The description of the 1800 sites and scenery, although interesting, at times it seems to be more than necessary it only drags out the story and adds little to the plot. The seven hundred plus pages could have been edited down significantly without any loss to the story.
The look and demeanor of the main character , ‘The Aliniest” Dr. Kreizler is reminiscent of Sherlock Homes; some aspects seem “borrowed.” In THE ANGEL OF DARKNESS , Carr’s description of the small little man...more
The description of the 1800 sites and scenery, although interesting, at times it seems to be more than necessary it only drags out the story and adds little to the plot. The seven hundred plus pages could have been edited down significantly without any loss to the story.
The look and demeanor of the main character , ‘The Aliniest” Dr. Kreizler is reminiscent of Sherlock Homes; some aspects seem “borrowed.” In THE ANGEL OF DARKNESS , Carr’s description of the small little man...more
This book is set in New York City and Saratoga Springs at the turn of the 20th Century. It is competently written, in a first-person voice that sounds reasonably probable, although the frequent substitution of "what" for "that" grated on my inner ear. The period details also seem fairly probable, and the characters were believable people. Problem is, I don't really like historic fiction, and particularly not where real historic figures are used as characters. This one features Elizabeth Cady Sta...more
This mystery, the second in a series, deals really interesting with both the psychological aspects of a murderer, but how people's perceptions of what a murder must look like, and who murderers can and can not be. To be more clear, the book deals with people's ideas about women, women's essential nature (or what they think it is), and mothering/nuturing. It's really interesting how societal blinders both allow certain behaviors to go on because because are willfully blind to it, and also traps w...more
I've always had a personal law that requires I finish any book I start. Lately, I've been reconsidering. It all started when I tried to read The Devil Wears Prada and was forced to throw it out the window in horror and disgust after 25 pages. That's when I realized I needed to amend the law to specify that I don't have to finish books so poorly written that I end up holding them out away from myself with two fingers while cringing as if they reek of garbage while I read. This allowed me to leave...more
2 likes · like · see review
Jun 04, 2009
Linda O
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
fans of crime/drama in an early 20th C setting
This was the first Carr book I've read, and I was impressed by the detail, the atmosphere that he creates (New York 1919) and the characters drawn in such detail. This is an involved story about Dr. Lazlo Kriezler and the people he has taken into his life. He makes life better for those he helps, and they end up forming an informal group of crime-solvers. The reader is given a gritty, harsh look at the life of the poor in early 20th C. NYC, and in brutal contrast, the life of the very wealthy. A...more
What can I say. Carr's second novel featuring Dr. Laszlo Kreizler and his associates lived up to the high expectations generated by his first. Carr seems to take personally the double standards society lays down for its individuals, and in each of his novels he illuminates a particular facet of them, as if shining a flashlight in a grungy corner that has been hidden in darkness. In Angel of Darkness, he focuses on the absurd expectations society has of women, and how inescapable and crippling th...more
This is the sequel to The Alienist.
Carr still has that wonderful touch for period detail and tone, and this is another brilliant mystery.
We once again meet the characters from The Alienist, but this time the story is told from the pov of Stevie Taggart, the urchin who appeared in The Alienist. And this s a drawback for me. I could not buy Stevie as an "authentic" narrator. This aspect did not work for me, and detracted from my overall enjoyment of the book.
But everything else was pitch perfect,...more
Carr still has that wonderful touch for period detail and tone, and this is another brilliant mystery.
We once again meet the characters from The Alienist, but this time the story is told from the pov of Stevie Taggart, the urchin who appeared in The Alienist. And this s a drawback for me. I could not buy Stevie as an "authentic" narrator. This aspect did not work for me, and detracted from my overall enjoyment of the book.
But everything else was pitch perfect,...more
Kreizler, Moore, and Sarah Howard and the gang reunite for another exciting mystery. This time the story is narrated by Stevie Taggert, now the owner of a tobacco shop. Once again the mention of NYC icons, such as the Flatiron building add verisimilitude. It is interesting to note that at the end of the 19th century, NYC was known as the Big Onion! Stevie Taggert narrates the story this time, which creates one problem that I found irritating. To maintain Stevie's role as an ill educated youth, h...more
Aug 16, 2009
Kit Dunsmore
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone who liked The Alienist
Recommended to Kit by:
Kurt
Another page turner that I could not put down. Except for using the same characters and setting (and also being a good read), this story is really different from its predecessor. Again, a psychologist and his detective friends go after a serial killer, but this time they know exactly who they are after much earlier in the game. Result: a much scarier story in which we are constantly aware of the murderer and afraid for our heroes at every turn. As in the first book, the mystery is slowly unravel...more
Don't read this book for serious contemplation of the philosophy or psychology of the late 1800s, read it for fun. If you're looking for a motley band of investigators, a chilling villainess, interesting descriptions of historical settings, and cameo appearances by some famous persons, you won't be disappointed. There's lots of action as well as sentiment, and I'm not saying it's all realistic. You may find the young narrator Stevie Taggert too smart, the reporter Moore too slow, and the pygmy a...more
I liked this a lot more than The Alienist. Carr's characters are back- Moore the NY Times writer and playboy, Kreizler the alienist, Howard the gun-toting female PI, the detective sargeants Issacson- alongside historical fugures such as Theodore Roosevelt, lawyer Clarence Darrow, feminist Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and painter Albert Pinkham Ryder. Carr's characters are good, they are better developed here, and I love how this book told the story from the viewpoint of Stevie Taggert, a street kid t...more
This story is the sequel to "The Alienist". It follows the same characters but involves a different murder scenario as told Stevie rather than John Moore. The story itself is still gruesome, but no less intriguing. The group gets together to catch a vicious and evil woman who has a history of killing her own children or kidnapping and killing other children. While there isn't as much detail into the mind of this killer as in "The Alienist" it does delve into the waters of women and their roles a...more
Feb 22, 2011
Lora King
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-mystery,
historical-fiction
An intimidating read at 704 pages on my nook, I nonetheless loved this sequel to The Alienist. The group is all here, Stevie (the voice of the story), the Issacsons, Teddy Roosevelt, Mr. Moore, Cyrus, Miss Howard and of course Dr. Kreizler. New to the story this time around are Clarance Darrow, C. Vanderbilt and a new prosecutor Mr. Pichton along with a aborigine from Manila (with a list of characters like this it has to be good). This time the villan is a woman Lizzy Hatch who kills children, k...more
While it took me almost three full weeks to read this book, it wasn't because it was terrible. The fact of the matter was that the book was so detailed, so richly drawn, so atmospheric, that I had to sometimes reread parts to see if I missed anything. To my surprise, I often, however, missed little more than more detail and atmosphere. The book had its very interesting moments (the search through the killer's house, the rumble with the street gang) but so much of the story was fluff cleverly wri...more
Whoah, I think that this book is the kind of book for which the phrase RIPPING GOOD YARN was invented. Caleb Carr is this big ol' history nerd, which, to me, eh--who cares, what do I know from the history? But which makes for so much sweet sweet sweetass detail which makes this creepy ol' damn ol' murdery thing SUCH A RIPPING GOOD YARN.
This is a sequel to Carr's popular 1994 thriller, The Alienist. The psychologist Dr. Laszlo Kreizler and his colleagues investigate a baby’s kidnapping in 1897 New York. They come to suspect a malevolent nurse who is also a gang moll implicated in the killing her own children. Various historical figures are woven into the plot, including an up-and-coming Clarence Darrow and an irrepressible Theodore Roosevelt, who commandeers a shipload of U.S. sailors to subdue a vicious street gang during the...more
This was my first Caleb Carr read and he certainly has a feel for the times. However, the book is quite long (about 700 pages) and therefore requires a commitment in both time and energy. In this novel the doctor and his little band of misfits chases a woman who seems to have put the entire Eastern seaboard on edge.
The narration is fine, but the plot, while thick as muck, becomes completely inane and plays second fiddle to the author's desire to place the action where he can use some tidbit of...more
The narration is fine, but the plot, while thick as muck, becomes completely inane and plays second fiddle to the author's desire to place the action where he can use some tidbit of...more
Sep 19, 2009
Michael
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
History buffs, family novels, books about New York City in the 1890's
Recommended to Michael by:
Read author's book "The Alienist"
June 1897, Stevie Taggert, a reformed street urchin is with Sara Howard who is a private investigator and has a client in need of crime reporter John Schuyler Moore. Senora Isabella Linares is desperate. She tells the others that her fourteen year old daughter has been kidnapped. Her husband is the private secretary to the Spanish Counsul and since United States and Spain are close to war, he doesn't want her to report the kidnapping in case it leads to a worsening of relations between the count...more
Jul 24, 2011
Bookreaderljh
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-read-in-2011
I read "The Alienist" several years ago and liked it quite a bit. I don't think this follow up book was quite as good and it seemed to go on a little too long - but it was still a good mystery and I enjoyed the tone of setting up the precursors to our present day psychology and profiling methods, rudimentary forensics and trial machinations. The only thing that drove me a bit batty was the voice of the main character (a teenager with only basic education) and the habit of using "what" for "that"...more
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| Cozy Chair Book Club: April 2013 | 1 | 9 | Apr 05, 2013 04:54am | |
| Cozy Chair Book Club: The Angel of Darkness | 1 | 4 | Apr 05, 2013 04:50am |
Caleb Carr is an American novelist and military historian. The son of Lucien Carr, a former UPI editor and a key Beat generation figure, he was born in Manhattan and lived for much of his life on the Lower East Side. He attended Kenyon College and New York University, earning a B.A. in military and diplomatic history. He is a contributing editor of MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History an...more
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“She has that quality, does the Hudson, as I imagine all great rivers do: the deep, abiding sense that those activities what take place on shore among human beings are of the moment, passing, and aren't the stories by way of which the greater tale of this planet will, in the end, be told.”
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15 people liked it
“Still, it's an interesting technique--leaving one person behind in order to find her or him somewhere else. And *in* someone else.”
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3 people liked it
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Jul 08, 2009 12:45pm