Rating: 
Summary: Great Speculations On A Doomed Friendship!
Review: As someone familiar with many within the Fuhrer's immediate circle, I found this novel a terrific tale of what may have happened between him and his young niece, Geli Raubel. All the familiar characters, Goering,Goebbels, the chauffer (who, in this book, actually competes with Hitler over Geli's affections), and many others, seem all too real. The manipulative and mesmorizing future dictator slowly becomes truly sickening, but he actually is not without some human feelings as well. The descriptions of 1920's-early 1930's Munich and Germany are perfect, and the everyday life of the Hitler and his entourage are just as good. Note the claustophobic feel of his large flat, and the slowly developing, urgent paranoia of Geli that becomes all too real. In fact, though she does feel strangely drawn to Hitler, she is among the few not drawn completely in his web. The ending may not be true , but still a great read, and fine job by Mr. Hansen!
Rating:
Summary: A Real Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius . . .
Review: Ron Hansen uses his story to take you down from all the big images of Nazi Germany to a level where you feel you can almost experience it as it is born and grows. His characterization of Hitler seesaws back and forth. One moment you think you might almost sympathize with the failed artist/dictator, but then his other side shines through and dispels your illusions. Even better is Hansen's portrayal of Angelika, Hitler's niece who is groomed to become his lover. Her repulsion/attraction to Hitler is rendered in a very believable manner. This was my first time reading Hansen, but I plan to go back for more. Hitler's Niece is clearly the work of a master.
Rating:
Summary: Hitler's Niece
Review: Most likely because I have such an aversion to the man in the title I found this book compelling enough to finish but in many ways I wish I had not started it. It has always been curious to me how Hitler got such a firm hold on the German population. To some degree, this book helped me understand the reasons for his success. I have been told by someone who watched and listened to his speeches that his eyes were spellbinding. This novel would validate that statement.
Rating: 
Summary: This is a joke, right?
Review: Yet another example of how wrong historical novels can go. The only thing Hansen proved by writing this book was how little he knows about Hitler and his relationship with Geli. "Hitler's Niece" is superficially "researched", scattered throughout with rumors, plus the quotes he took from Kubizek and Hitler himself were, for the most part, either taken out of context or completely fictional. He also, to top it all off, had the audacity to claim that Hitler (the character) did, in actuality, murder his niece. Facts support the theory that Angelika was, indeed, murdered-- either by members of Hitler's own Party or those of a rival organisation. However, to presume that Adolf Hitler was the perpetrator is a clear sign of a gross lack of information on Hansen's part.
The author would be well advised to stick to subjects with which he is better acquainted in future.
Rating: 
Summary: Treading dangerous ground
Review: I like historical novels in general, but this one was a turnoff. Enough is known about the evils of Hitler that I don't think we really need to have speculation made on his sexual proclivities. Yes, the guy is a nominee for Creep of All Time, but I don't believe that portraying him as a neurotic, cowardly pervert accomplishes anything. Let him be reviled in history for the terrible things he was responsible for. But let's not create a legend, good or bad, about the man. This, in my opinion, is as bad as those that write about the Holocaust never existing. The two stars it gets are for the carefully researched historical background, and the origins and endings of his chief henchmen. But this stuff can also be found in a lot of other books.
|
