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lucy_clay 's review for:
Fatherland
by Robert Harris
A stunning alternative history that explores what Germany would have looked like had it emerged victorious from WWII, Fatherland is a fantastically researched and conceived novel that transports the reader to a completely realistic time and place. Harris has always been a brilliant history writer, and he excels himself in Fatherland, his most accomplished novel to date.
Fatherland follows the story of Xavier March, a detective who begins to unravel the mystery of a dead body floating in the river in Berlin. When he is ordered by the Gestapo to leave the case alone, his interest is only piqued and he begins to work to solve the most dangerous mystery of all.
Fatherland successfully turns the detective genre on its head, presenting a story in which the hunter becomes the hunted. It is an obsessively compelling read, aided by its fast-pace, sense of danger and all too convincing realism. The world that Harris creates is one that many people have wondered at, whilst simultaneously shying away from. He is unapologetic in his presentation of Nazi Germany, which makes his novel all the more realistic and colourful, adding layers and depth to an already intricate and fascinating plot.
The horror of the novel is slow and creeping and I turned the final page with a chill that remained with me for days upon finishing. An important and interesting read and one that is not easily forgotten.
Fatherland follows the story of Xavier March, a detective who begins to unravel the mystery of a dead body floating in the river in Berlin. When he is ordered by the Gestapo to leave the case alone, his interest is only piqued and he begins to work to solve the most dangerous mystery of all.
Fatherland successfully turns the detective genre on its head, presenting a story in which the hunter becomes the hunted. It is an obsessively compelling read, aided by its fast-pace, sense of danger and all too convincing realism. The world that Harris creates is one that many people have wondered at, whilst simultaneously shying away from. He is unapologetic in his presentation of Nazi Germany, which makes his novel all the more realistic and colourful, adding layers and depth to an already intricate and fascinating plot.
The horror of the novel is slow and creeping and I turned the final page with a chill that remained with me for days upon finishing. An important and interesting read and one that is not easily forgotten.