In “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” author John Berendt fabulously describes his first-hand version of life in the southern city of Savannah, Georgia, in the 1980s, while including multiple unforeseen events that shape the book into an unforgettable nonfiction novel. Although the story starts out a little slowly, the book quickly becomes interesting with a gripping murder mystery that has the entire city of Savannah wondering if the act was murder or self-defense.

Berendt makes simple, ordinary events intriguing through the power of his descriptive diction. The descriptions of the setting and characters throughout the novel practically transport the reader to the scene. Berendt’s word choice and phrasing of the peaceful and routine streets of Savannah make the reader want to visit one day. While reading, a picture of magnificent Victorian mansions and tree lined streets forms in the reader’s mind. Berendt includes so many unique and fascinating characters that it can be hard to keep track of who is who at some points. Characters such as the voodoo expert named Minerva and the mysterious Mercer House owner and collector Jim Williams add an abnormal yet interesting aspect to the novel.

The novel is full of strange people and events right up until the very end, when an unpredictable surprise hits the reader with just five pages left.

Overall, “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” receives 4 out of 5 stars, losing one star because of novel’s slow beginning. It earns four due to Berendt’s outstanding descriptions of the details of the sleepy city of Savannah and the traditional people who inhabit it. “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” is a relaxing yet gripping novel that makes the reader dread the turning of the last page.