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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
It's scary that this is supposed to be based on a true story. But I just found it hard to read because it's so simplistic.
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Antisemitism
Moderate: Violence
I read this book in German because my German is about a high school reading level and someone gave me a copy. If you check the English reviews and summaries you'll see that this is a book based on a true story about an American teacher who tries an "experiment" and ends up creating a high school full of fascists from a group of students who had had a hard time accepting that a minority of angry Germans became the Nazis and managed to commit their subsequent crimes against humanity. Like the skeptical students, I wouldn't have believed that the book's classroom experiment worked so quickly and horribly either, were it not 2017. Of course it has now been proven time and time again and all over the world that is all too easy to tap into the darker side of human nature especially in regards to tribalism, and few stages of development are already so prone to revel in the inhumane as adolescents.
SLIGHT SPOILER FOLLOWS
The teacher in the book (and indeed the teacher he was based on per the interview at the end of my copy) manages to end his fascist experiment by referencing past atrocities. Unfortunately that part of this work of fiction now seems the most unbelievable.
SLIGHT SPOILER FOLLOWS
The teacher in the book (and indeed the teacher he was based on per the interview at the end of my copy) manages to end his fascist experiment by referencing past atrocities. Unfortunately that part of this work of fiction now seems the most unbelievable.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
reflective
tense
medium-paced
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
informative
reflective
tense
fast-paced
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I would have given this one three stars if it weren't for the passive writing and point of view changes that, for me as a writer, made it difficult to read. I wanted to stop every few lines and edit it. The material presented is fascinating more so because it is based on actual events from 1969. I read it in a couple of hours and will strongly encourage my daughters to read it when they get a little older.
reflective
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's a very important topic and I don't regret reading it but it just wasn't executed as well as I wish it was. I think if you're interested in reading about this topic, there are much better books out there.