You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
I enjoy alternative-history novels. While this is not the best one I've ever read, it is built around an interesting premise: what if Germany had won WW II? How would the world be different? Would we have ever found out about the Holocaust, or could its horrors have been successfully hidden from not only the world, but from the average German citizen? It's a difficult thing to imagine. But imagine it, this book does. It's based on solid research and a clever imagination. You'll likely figure out the ending before you get there, but it's an interesting journey.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
At the surface this is a detective novel. What makes this book interesting is the setting. The premise is that the third Reich won WW2. And our detective lead stumbles on to the trail of some top secret information. A what if senario. Touches on the soul of man without getting too deep. The plot itself is fine, but the plot plus the setting is eminently creative. Quite impressively done. Quick read. Would recommend.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I almost didn't read it because it's so long, but the pace picks up from the very beginning and from there it just flows very easily. I expected something like The Man in the High Castle because of the main premise, but I couldn't be further off: this one is a mystery story in a dystopian setting rather than a dystopian novel. It's clever, well-crafted, with an hard-boiled detective main character who is extremely compelling for his intelligence, dry humour, and critical attitude towards the regime he nevertheless represents. The romance, while functional to the plot, is probably the weakest part of the story (clichés abound), but I liked everything else so much I forgot about it easily enough. The ending is fitting, and, while things could only end the way they did for the characters involved, the novel still managed to surprise me with an unexpected final twist.
Its a detective novel that hints at what's going to be uncovered. As it's Nazi Germany there's a bit of a clue but it's still a shock. A heavy read.
I was expecting an altogether different book. It is rather ordinary crime fiction, but the second half is way better with more of what I was expecting. I was disappointed, because I still feel I would like to read a book that imagined what happened if Hitler had won. This is not it. It is very entertaining, tough.
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes