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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.
lenaoknihach's review against another edition
3.0
Nevím, co přesně bych si měla o této knize myslet. Nápad o Hitlerovi, který je v roce 2011 je vskutku originální, ale celý příběh mi přijde takový nedokončený.
onlyoko's review against another edition
3.0
Premetto che ho letto la versione inglese del libro, quindi qualche sfumatura potrebbe essersi persa nella traduzione. Inoltre, lo ho letto dopo aver visto il film "Sono Tornato", la rivisitazione italiana di questo libro in versione Mussolini. Ci tornerò dopo.
L'idea è assolutamente geniale. Piazzare la figura storica di Hitler nel presente, senza cambiarne assolutamente nulla, e raccontare il risultato dal suo punto di vista ci permete davvero di esaminare la nostra società da un occhio completamente esterno, e di riflettere su quanto sia sottile la linea che divide la "comicità" dalla (ri)normalizzazione di qualcosa di terribile.
Il mio unico vero problema con questo libro è stato... aver visto prima un film. Infatti, quello che ho sentito totalmente assente da questo libro (a differenza di Sono Tornato) è stato un punto, una conclusione: il libro mi sembra spezzarsi a metà racconto, senza essere arrivato a una vera conclusione. Il film, invece, pur non chiudendo davvero la storia (in quel caso di Mussolini) secondo me riesce ad avere una scena finale incisiva, che dà la sensazione di "concluso" mancante in questo libro.
L'idea è assolutamente geniale. Piazzare la figura storica di Hitler nel presente, senza cambiarne assolutamente nulla, e raccontare il risultato dal suo punto di vista ci permete davvero di esaminare la nostra società da un occhio completamente esterno, e di riflettere su quanto sia sottile la linea che divide la "comicità" dalla (ri)normalizzazione di qualcosa di terribile.
Il mio unico vero problema con questo libro è stato... aver visto prima un film. Infatti, quello che ho sentito totalmente assente da questo libro (a differenza di Sono Tornato) è stato un punto, una conclusione: il libro mi sembra spezzarsi a metà racconto, senza essere arrivato a una vera conclusione. Il film, invece, pur non chiudendo davvero la storia (in quel caso di Mussolini) secondo me riesce ad avere una scena finale incisiva, che dà la sensazione di "concluso" mancante in questo libro.
sm29's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0