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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
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
20 years on from the first time I read this it remains an absolute page turner. Not a great book by any means, it's plot is a little obvious, but one I thoroughly enjoyed.
A great book club pick and a great discussion generator.
A great book club pick and a great discussion generator.
A disillusioned SS Kripo officer discovers rot deep within the Greater German Reich. A hard-broiled detective story mixed with historical fact and what if Germany won WW2. Super entertaining and a page turner!! To me it was like if you mixed The Batman with WW2 history and speculation.
mysterious
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I love this sort of stuff, but to be honest, for a while I thought the universe was more fascinating than the story that takes place in it. Not saying it's bad, boring or otherwise off-putting, it's just not as thought-provoking as the idea of such a world. I mean, Nazis in power during a time when The Beatles are topping the charts, Hitler's 75th birthday, the new map of Europe, etc. Intriguing is putting it mildly. There is a point where the story took over though. When it becomes apparent what's behind the murders. Strong move. What follows kept me glued to the pages as well. Easily one of my favorites.
If you like alternate history and you like detective novels, you'll like this book. Great read, only wish the author had taken like, I don't know, 10 pages to explain the consequences of the events of book instead of ending. Just feels like its lacking a little closure, especially after building an interesting alternate world.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found it a little slow to get into but the second half was gripping.
As a fan of crime fiction I appreciated the initial appearance of the novel as a crime thriller, but the ending was the vitally important part. Framing the reality of life had WW2 gone as Nazi Germany planned and the discovery of and reactions to the Final Solution was a stark reminder of what may have been, but more important what did happen and the millions of innocent lives that were taken. I thought this was a clever novel and would others by this author.
As a fan of crime fiction I appreciated the initial appearance of the novel as a crime thriller, but the ending was the vitally important part.
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No