Fascinating book (Fatherland - Robert Harris)

Member Name: Launagirl

Product:	Fatherland - Robert Harris
Date:	04/07/00 (32 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Thrilling Story

Disadvantages: Need to know your history

This book asks one of the big "what if" questions,

What if Hitler had won the war??

This clever and well written thriller uses a recognisable construct "in this case a murder enquiry" that could be taken straight out of Morse with the setting of a post war 1960's victorious Berlin.

The book is clever in many regards not least because the style of the book takes it for granted that their history is yours. However as the murder enquiry unfolds you start to glimpse pieces of history that point the way to how the worsld is different.

Edward is still King and "at peace" i.e. pacified with Germany.

Russia has vertually been destroyed apart from freedom fighters on the Steppes.

America is Germanies greatest threat and potential ally and the murder enquiry has serious implications for that alliance.

This fascinating book touches on how a people deal with reality and how very much history is written by the winners.

Summary: