Rating: 
Summary: Captivating, Kept me engrossed until the very last page
Review: Caleb Carr truly astonisihes his readers w/ yet another spellbinding novel. Sequels aren't usually that terrific, in fact, they often pale in comparison to their predecesors. However, there is always an exception to every rule and The Angel of Darkness would fit this exception. Historical novels always seem to intrigue me, but what I found exceptionally interesting about this story was that the evil was inflicted by a woman, and that is not something you usually come across, especially in novels about the turn of the century. I look foward to more novels written by Mr. Carr that take us back into the fascinating lives of Dr. Kreizler, Mr. Moore, Miss Howard, The Issacson Brothers, Stevie Tagart and Cyprus!
Rating:
Summary: Angel of Darkness-- A Masterpiece
Review: This book was extrordinary from start to finish. Carr definately knows his history and it becomes evidident within the pages of this book. He also has a very brilliant tallent of developing his characters into very personable people. This book held my attention from the time I picked it up till a few weeks after I put it down. After completing this novel I proceded to, the next day even, to buy his first novel, The Aliensist. And so far it hasn't been dissapointing eiter. I would recommend this book to many people all having very different personalities. I would recommend it to anyone who loves history, since Carr weaves in many historical names, including but deffinately not limited to, Theodore Roosevelt. I would recommend it to anyone who loves a good suspense and mystery novel, this book is the perfect essence of both rolled into one. And finally I would recommend it to all of those who find the human mind and the reason it is inclined to do certain things fasinating. I conclude by saying that you should go out and buy this book. It's wonderful! I personally can't wait till Carr comes out with another novel, its just not his nature to leave you dissapointed.
Rating:
Summary: Historically Captivating
Review: I Picked up this book by accident and became wrapped up in it shortly thereafter. Currently living in Saratoga County and having spent time in NYC, I found myself following the trail of the story directly. I could envision everything from the warfs to country barns. Carr settled me into the environment and then brought his characters along with me. Now I have to revert back to read The Alienist. I hate finding the second book first.
Rating: 
Summary: Carr's characters topple the carefully crafted construction.
Review: The Angel of Darkness attempts to take us into the world of a cold-hearted killer, but the reader is equally put off by the "good" characters. When did New York Times reporter become so whiny? Our trusty alienist is barely two dimensional; and little Stevie is too sugar-and-peaches wholesome to be a believable ex-thug. Though carefully researched, this book annoys more than fascinates. I kept hoping that the wicked Libby Hatch would knock some investigative heads to make it a little interesting, at least.
Rating:
Summary: Caleb Carr: an incredible story teller and a story finisher!
Review: It took me several tries to actually get past several pages of this book, but once the story picked up momenum it was a book that I couldn't just put down. Unlike most authors that has good ideas for their books but just don't know how to end it, Carr definately knew. This makes all the other books pale in comparison. It's a mUsT!
Rating:
Summary: Dull, disappointing sequel to a good book
Review: I liked The Alienist well enough: it was not perfect but it had two good things going for it: its wonderful description of turn-of-the-century New York, and the fascinating piece-by-piece quest, and psychological "profiling" of John Beecham. These good things do not really show up in the Angel of Darkness, where turn-of-the-century New York has been reduced to an often sepia-colored and not entirely convincing backdrop, and the psychological research is nowhere, just a few paragraphs written in haste about Libby Hatch's childhood and in fact poor Dr. Kreizler looks often bewildered and without much to do here. The whole intrigue seems to be based upon everyone's incapability to believe that a woman can kill her own children, as if this wasn't something that has been happening since the beginning of time. Without the things that make a good book out of the Alienist, all the defects of this book appear under a harsher light. First, it is way, but WAY too long. I often wondered while I was reading it if Caleb Carr was getting paid by the line for this book, like Alexandre Dumas. Second, and this was pointed out by several other readers, the choice of narrator is all wrong. The author had his pick of interesting characters to cast in this role; however, in a totally unjustifiable move, he chose Stevie, the former street urchin. Not only this does not advance the story in any way, but also it poses linguistic problems: Stevie speaks like those anonymous letters written by educated people who pretend to be illiterate. In the middle of just anything he is saying he suddenly remembers he's a former street punk and he gets abruptly ungrammatical (however, the book is allegedly written by Stevie in 1919, which means that he had about twenty years to get himself an education, or at least to learn how to use the pronoun "what"). And so on and so forth: the characters, who were so convincing and endearing in the Alienist, now are merely irritating, caricatures of their former selves, and to poor El Niño, a potentially rich character, is reserved the role habitually played by the Dog in this kind of book. The use of futuristic forensics has got out of hand here: the use of fingerprinting in the Alienist was not completely convincing, but what the heck. Now Carr tosses also ballistics into the mix, getting too cute for his own good. The ending with Roosevelt and the Navy achieves a non-plus-ultra of silliness that, I think, can only be fully appreciated by Non-Americans. And, which is really the worst, the book is boring, boring, boring: THE most unforgivable sin in a thriller. A suspense story you can only get to the end of by a supreme effort of will clearly is not working.
Rating:
Summary: Engaging 1st page to last
Review: I read Angel of Darkness before I read The Alienist. I have to say that Angel was the better of the two. The characters were richly drawn, sympathetic and realistic. The setting was colorful and really left you feeling like you had really been there. I loved this book and can't wait for the next one. I could read about these characters forever!
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful...
Review: I have always been into mysteries, but a historically set one is even better. I loved this book...It was jam packed full of pieces of late 19th century history. Carr's characters were so full of life..I could see myself in the novel...and that is what a book should do to a person. It was an adventorous and fantastic getaway to indulge in...Everyone should read this book...
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful...
Review: I have always been into mysteries, but a historically set one even better. I loved this book...It was jam packed full of pieces of late 19th century history. Carr's characters were so full of life..I could see myself in the novel...and that is what a book should do to a person. It was an adventorous and fantastic getaway to indulge in...Everyone should read this book...
Rating:
Summary: Carr is a master craftsman/historian
Review: Carr should be on a national council to preserve history as an elective to the youth of America in higher education. Angel again captures turn of the century NY/NY with brilliant characters and historical profiles.A new perspective by "Stevie", has me wondering which character will be weaving the next tale. And, oh Mr. Carr there must be a next tale, your public demands it! We will never tire of Dr. Kriezler and co., and will continue to pressure for more. I went out and bought, "Teddy Roosevelt the Last Romantic", after Angel, just to learn more about the man due to Carr making him such an interesting character in Alienist/Angel. I believe if you put Carr in front of a gang he could convert them to history buffs. Great author, great story, great historian, hurry with the third Kriezler tale!
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