Masterpiece

• Book: Alone in Berlin
• Location: Berlin
• Author: Hans Fallada

Review Author: simon

A remarkable book. The bare bones of the (true) story are enough to make it moving and memorable, but what lifts it is the depth of characterisation and Fallada’s willingness to spend time getting to know even the most fleeting of supporting characters, bringing them all equally to life. In fact the protagonist disappears for a large chunk of the middle of the book as Inspector Escherich follows up various leads in his investigations, and although this could be seen as a flaw in terms of structure and having a focussed plot it also allows him to explore other aspects of wartime Berlin. By the time the plot starts coming to a close the tension and horror mount and become almost unbearable.
And the final chapters, in which Otto Quangel faces his final fate, are exceptional.

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