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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
A nice premise. A decent piece of speculative fiction, but that hanging ending was just not a good way to end it. It sort of ruined the book for me.
A sad, slow detective story set in a dystopian vision of post-WWII Germany in which the Germans won the war. The protagonist is a typical conflicted cop type, trying to do something decent in spite of working for an evil dictatorship. The resolution to the central mystery of the novel is apparent to the reader long before the book's protagonist, but that tension is pretty enjoyable. Unfortunately, the romantic subplot was not great, and the characters apart from the protagonist don't have a lot of depth.
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It's interesting to see how a crime/thriller story works when you already know the big bad secret the main character has to unravel... Wonder if the "miserable forty-something year old man pairing with a smart 25 year old girl" was already as old and annoying when this book was first published.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Subtle alt history, more like a noir detective story, set in a world where the Nazis won the war. The state of the world remains mostly a sketch, probably for the benefit of the novel. Our nazi policeman Sam Spade is a bit too inquisitive for his own good as he uncovers the mystery of the great replacement hidden among a string of murders.
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The premise; a 1960s europe after Hitler won the war is engaging, new and chilling. The tale twists and turns in unforeseen and gripping ways, leaving you unable to stop another page turn. Robert Harris can write thrillers like no others - totally unique, immersive and intriguing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Antisemitism
dark
tense
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:
No
I love the story and the alternative history.
The only thing I didn't like is the love story within - between the main character and the American journalist. The whole affair reads like a middle-aged man fantasy.
The only thing I didn't like is the love story within - between the main character and the American journalist. The whole affair reads like a middle-aged man fantasy.