Rating: 
Summary: Even better than the first
Review: *I am writing this review for people who have already read the Alienist and are now considering its sequel... if you haven't read The Alienist- well you shouldn't even be considering this one yet, but if you insist- go on to someone else's review; I'm sure I'll end up divulging something.Whether or not you'll agree with me- that The Angel of Darkness is even better than its predecessor- really depends on exactly what it is you loved about The Alienist. If you loved the beautiful visual portraits of New York in the late 19th century, you may not be quite as impressed. Not to say that I didn't love that about the Alienist, or that it is absolutely unheard of in the Angel of Darkness, but a lot of the story doesn't even take place in New York City, and where it does take place is not quite so visually spectacular. Because of this, Caleb Carr focuses more on the characters in this one. And so, if you loved the main characters, you'll be more than pleased to find that each of them, especially Stevie Taggert, who was only a minor character in the first, are developed much further in this one. It is very fascinating to see the way Dr. Laszlo Kreizler is developed, since we are now seeing him through the eyes of someone who spends day and night with him. Stevie has the upper hand with Dr. Kreizler, number one because he was a former patient of his, and number two because he's a child. Because of this, Dr. Kreizler is much less reserved towards him, and a couple of times the tortured alienist actually speaks of his past...
If you loved the psychological aspects of the book, you'll love this one ten times more. While in the Alienist we were painting the psychological portrait of a very typical serial killer (at least in our day and age), The Angel of Darkness' antagonist is much more unique and fascinating. However, it takes them much less time to find out who she is; we know about 100 pages into the book (of a 700 page book). While the identity of the killer was the mystery of the first, the real mystery of this one is the psyche of the person they've identified.
If you liked the 19th century posh upper-class style of writing, this one could potentially annoy you; we're no longer hearing it from a professional writer but from a man who spent a good portion of his life stealing money for food and dodging the police. But personally I'd much rather hear the story from Stevie; the story is told more from the heart than the mind.
So, based on this, you should be able to loosely see what your ideas of The Angel of Darkness will be, but even if it doesn't sound quite as appealing, I'd read it. With a talented author like Caleb Carr, you never know.
Rating:
Summary: His best work!
Review: In John Beecham (villan, Alienist) Caleb Carr presented a madman that murdered boy-whores because of his childhood context. In Libby Hatch (I didn't spoil it. It's on the back cover) he has created a villian that matches the detectives play for play. It's a year later. New York is still the seamy, dark, evil place it was in 1896. Doctor Lazslo Kreizler continues his work with children. John Shuyler Moore still works (and if fired frequently from) the New York Times. Sara Howard is running a detective service for women from the old haunt, Number 808 Broadway. This time, a woman comes to her, her child kidnapped. This woman is the wife of the Spanish ambassador. And incase you didn't know, the US was ready to go to war with Spain. Sara unites the entire group again, but this time, it is told through the eyes of the street-urchin Stevie, under employ with Kreizler. For those of you who have read the Alienist and were awash with all that psycho-babble, the Angel of Darkness may seem like a breath of fresh-air. They even leave New York! I won't tell you where, or for what reason. It'll spoil it. When I first read the book, I was enraptured by it's magic. And I know you will be too.
Rating: 
Summary: Worth a look IF you've read The Alienist
Review: If you've read The Alienist - perhaps one of the finest pieces of historical fiction ever written - then this book is certainly worth reading, if only to see a little more of the characters you know in a different situation and in a different light. However, if you haven't yet read The Alienist, read that first. The Angel of Darkness is about a different crime, but takes place later and so gives a lot of the first book away (who was killed, who did what, "whodunnit", etc.)
All in all, a shaky but not unworthy effort, best appreciated if you liked The Alienist.
Rating:
Summary: A MUST READ!!!
Review: I must say that this book has been one of the best reads of my life. Ignore the cynics folks, this dark novel has something for everyone. A superb follow-up to the Alienist. Caleb Carr has a gift for character development, researching the obscure and passionate detail that comes together to form this magnificantly intense read. I've recommended this book to both family and friends; all have loved it. I didn't think Caleb Carr could out do the Alienist but, I must admit upon reading The Angel of Darkness, I have changed my mind.
Rating: 
Summary: An easy story to read
Review: The story keeps you reading all the time except when the lawyers are talking how they will attack the enemy, that's a little boring, but in general it is a good reading story.
Rating: 
Summary: Not worth your money
Review: I was so disappointed by this book. I will give credit where credit is due. I read this book and "The Alienist" and Caleb Carr definitely does have a talent for transporting the reader back in time. I really felt like I was experiencing turn-of-the-century New York thru his writing. That's the good news. The bad news is the underlying theme of this book, like that in "The Alienist", is that it's all "society's" fault that men murder young boys or that Libby kills innocent children. It's so politically correct you can almost hear the NPR interview coming thru the pages. Here's the deal. Libby has a case of low self-esteem that would make a welfare mother look like Hillary Clinton by comparison. This is all because "society" says that the only role for women involves taking care of children which of course, the Libster is all thumbs at. So, because she can't deal with the trip that "The Man" is laying on her, our heroine decides to start carving up the little cherubs like it's Thanksgiving Day and she's in charge of the turkey. Give me a break. Couldn't she have just read "Chicken Soup for the Soul"? But seriously, the entire underlying premise of this book is that it's the fault of our "male dominated, patriarchal society that Libby is a murdering psychopath, blah, blah, blah, blah." Hey, if that's your thing, great. Save yourself a few bucks and just listen to NPR or watch "Oprah", at least that's free.
Rating:
Summary: Another very interesting historical fiction
Review: Carr's follow up to the book 'The Alienist', this story can be read on it's own but would probably be better enjoyed if read after first getting acquainted to the characters in the first work. (See my review).
The characters are the same as in the first book, but this one is told by Stevie, who tells the story after a challenge from the writer of the first. My one complaint about the writing style, in this book as well as 'The Alienist', is that I would prefer that a story be told from several points of view. But aside from that, Carr does a good job of letting the reader know what is happening to each person as the story unfolds.
In this book, like the first, a trend of murders is discovered and the team of players sets out to solve the crime using sometimes unconventional (for the period) methods. It gives the reader a very interesting glimpse of the past. This story has a much different antagonist than the first book, and Carr does a great job of not repeating the themes from the first book, even though the main characters don't change. (Which is why I recommend reading the first one first, then this one).
Rating:
Summary: Slightly better than the Alienest?
Review: I think so. Carr makes use of the same band of sleuths from the first novel, but we now get to see them through new eyes. Stevie's perspective is actually more interesting in this novel than Moore's is in The Alienist. I guess Stevie is simply easier to identify with. Overall, the plot seems better planned and reinforced with historical details and sub-plots. For once, I could not see the exact ending by the middle of the book. Adding to the story, the fabulous descriptions of the sights, sounds, and smells of the turn of the last century make the book hard to put down. The history and settings in the novels are at least half the thrill for me. If there is to be a third book (always iffy), I think this trick with changing narrators could work again. I would propose either Sara or Cyrus for the duty.
Rating:
Summary: Not as good as The Alienist, but a fun read!
Review: Carr doesn't deliver the goods as well in his sophomore attempt as he did with his freshman work: The Alienist. However, I must confess that I preferred the "point of view" used in this book to that used in the Alienist. The story here is the problem. The characters are just as rich and well textured, but the plot line feels thin and too much like a contemporary Lifetime: Television for Women movie of the week. It starts out strong, but Carr seems to have lost interest as he kept writing. I DID enjoy reading the book, but when I'd finished, I wished it had been a rich and complex as his first novel.
Rating:
Summary: Ragtime Meets Silence of the Lambs
Review: RE: SIMON & SCHUSTER AUDIO CASSETTE VERSION READ BY BOYD GAINES. Carr drops a horrific mystery thriller onto the olde-tyme sidewalks of New York with generally intriguing results. Like the author's previous THE ALIENIST, cameos by famous historical figures (Teddy Roosevelt, Clarence Darrow) prove fun, if unnecessary to the plot. But I submit this review to highlight the above referenced recorded version which is exceptional in two respects. First, reader Boyd Gaines is outstanding delivering a dizzying palette of accents, ages and genders from the turn-of-the-century NYC melting pot. Pay special attention as he deftly presents the trial testimony of an emotionally-disturbed young girl under cross-examination by Clarence Darrow. Second, the audio version has been edited in a manner which I've long-advocated, but which is rarely employed. All the extraneous dialog labeling, ("HE SAID EXCITEDLY", "SHE REPLIED KNOWINGLY") has been eliminated leaving a performed play rather than a rote reading. This approach requires a talented storyteller to keep the characters identifible and convincing. When it is done well, as here, it demonstrates that the ancient artform of storytelling can be effective in a mass media format. And Carr's wordy "script" lends itself to this approach. I did not read the written book but my strong impression is that this audio performance only inproves the story.
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