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thisisthelion's review against another edition
3.0
Hmmmm... Si y no. Me pareció que la idea inicial era muy interesante pero no se explota todo lo debiera. Tiene puntos muy graciosos, pero se me hizo un poco largo y el final (que en realidad no es un final, sino un punto y aparte) me ha dejado un poco fría.
fuzypaech's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
emeraldgarnet's review against another edition
4.0
A black comedy that shows how media madness and the general gullibility of some people can lead to the 'unthinkable' happening.
kaysahcol's review against another edition
4.0
Wow… I don’t even know how to start.. This is such a complex and controversial book. But I think it’s important. Outside of the fact that it’s just such a good idea for a book, it’s gonna grab attention as it’s not explicitly Anti-Hitler on surface level. You have to understand the satirical properties and take into account the reaction the author is going for to understand it’s not pro-Hitler. Ironically, that’s sort of what the book is about. The majority of the people he interacts with don’t understand that he’s not joking but is completely serious and is saying some horrible horrible things. It’s a satirical parody on how people treat performers such as these and what they get away with. It’s a societal critique on people’s unwillingness to accept that some people are just horrible and to call them out on it. It’s even mentioned in the book that the reactions he’s getting are so similar to how people were treating Hitler back in the day. It’s meant to show that it could easily happen again. I think it is really important that this was written originally in German, by a German. It couldn’t be done well any other way. I will say there is a real danger of framing the book from Hitler’s POV. The first person and inner monologue set up is dangerous due to reader’s natural tendency to side with and come to care for whoever’s POV they are in. It’s humanising Hitler and you can find yourself routing for him, and that is some thing you never want to do. I suppose this is possibly intentional as well. The author kind of makes you jump back and go “woah?? Did I just sympathise with him.” And then shame and embarrassment take over from there. Don’t get me wrong, the guy does say some CRAZY and HORRIBLE things, albeit it mostly in his thoughts. The things he says to other people are usually thinly veiled or can be taken in another way which the other characters always do. They either think he’s committing to a bit or that he’s saying almost the opposite of what he means. I will say, I expected a better ending. Personally, I was routing for a more dramatic ending such as like Hitler dies again. But it ends almost on a good note? Suggesting he’s going forward into politics and it might all happen again. The book does a ‘good’ job of starting to make you think it wasn’t all his fault which is scary but also it's probably the point as it’s from his POV. There was a good moment where he is debating with his secretary where he says that he was legally elected and had made his intentions and ideas clear from the beginning. That is something I think the world tends to over look, he had supporters. And Lots of them. I was embarrassed to walk around with this book, mainly because of the cover. But I think it is a really good read. But it needs to be understood, otherwise, it could be dangerous.
dmfw's review against another edition
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
jrmarr's review against another edition
3.0
I don't know how to feel about this book. I struggled with it at first and found it to be a bit tedious - how many laughs can there really be in the one 'joke'? It did pick up though. I guess the thing I got the most out of was the mirror it put up to our own 21st century, media-obsessed culture. It really appeared quite ludicrous through the eyes of someone who had been asleep for 65 years. But as other readers have written, the idea of trying to make Hitler a somewhat sympathetic character is an uncomfortable one, and so I cannot say enjoyed it. But I guess that is one of the hallmarks of satire...
sophiegrll's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.75
annashiv's review against another edition
5.0
This book is amazing. The only way it could have been better is if I were German. I'm certain some jokes or references went over my head because I'm not familiar with the people and society of Germany. I've been there, but that isn't enough to know the place. I loved the writing, or perhaps it is more accurate to say I loved the translation. It kept me interested the majority of the time. The most remarkable thing about this book though is it's satire, which seems to have been misunderstood by many readers (as I surmise from looking at the other reviews), as satire's always are. This book does not celebrate or condone the acts of Hitler or those events. It's a reminder of what happened and a warning. This book is clear in it's message with the ending paragraphs about his rise in power in our century and his slogan: "It wasn't all bad." The satire is that Hitler could very plausibly rise to power again, or a very similar character who has ideas like Hitler. It is possible. This book points out every thing I think our society today would do. I am an American and I see the similarities happening within my own country with Donald Trump. He is very similar to Hitler, but he is entertaining and ridiculous. Those that take him seriously are ignoring the similarities and forgetting what history has taught us. The worst thing about Hitler is that the slogan at the end of this book is true. Not all of it was bad. He had good ideas. The people liked him. But in that slogan is the misunderstanding that we all are subject to. Not all of it may have been bad, but a lot of it was. This book is not bad because it portrays Hitler as being Hitler. It is important to read to understand how such a terrible event in history is marginalized in today's world. This book is scary because it is true, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be read. I think it means the opposite. It should be read by as many people as possible so long as they understand it is satire. I know some would argue that just because it is satire it doesn't mean it is okay. I would disagree. Humor is the best way to look at tragedy. Comedy must be about all things or it can be about nothing. Humor is how we deal with uncomfortable things, and I believe satire is the highest form of comedy in that it makes people think the most, as they should. It brings up important questions and subjects. It makes us talk about the scary and uncomfortable subjects that we can't ignore. It helps us remember the past and think about it in a new light that is vital in keeping it from happening again. I think everyone should read this, not for amusement, but to learn how easily someone like Hitler could obtain power.
toffee_coffee's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is a fairly amusing and satirical novel about Hitler coming back to life in the modern day world. Whilst amusing to start with, I would argue it quickly gets repetitive. Perhaps for German audiences it was more groundbreaking, and the humour was enhanced by having an understanding of contemporary German society.