Synopsis (from Goodreads):
In 1930s Munich, danger lurks behind dark corners, and secrets are buried deep within the city. But Gretchen Müller, who grew up in the National Socialist Party under the wing of her “uncle” Dolf, has been shielded from that side of society ever since her father traded his life for Dolf’s, and Gretchen is his favorite, his pet.
Uncle Dolf is none other than Adolf Hitler. And Gretchen follows his every command.
Until she meets a fearless and handsome young Jewish reporter named Daniel Cohen. Gretchen should despise Daniel, yet she can’t stop herself from listening to his story: that her father, the adored Nazi martyr, was actually murdered by an unknown comrade. She also can’t help the fierce attraction brewing between them, despite everything she’s been taught to believe about Jews.
As Gretchen investigates the very people she’s always considered friends, she must decide where her loyalties lie. Will she choose the safety of her former life as a Nazi darling, or will she dare to dig up the truth—even if it could get her and Daniel killed?
I loved this book right from the get go. I’ve never read a book before that portrays Adolf Hitler in a positive way, even briefly, but that’s how this book starts and that’s how it hooked me. I always appreciate when a book offers a different perspective and that’s what this book does. It’s easy to say that Hitler is a terrible person, but it’s also easy to forget that there was a time where people thought of Hitler in a positive light.
I believe that the best part of the book is how well the characters are developed. Our main character, Gretchen is Hitler’s niece, his sunshine. Gretchen is a perfect example of how easy it was to believe everything that Hitler preaches. Throughout the book we see Gretchen develop from a controlled, young girl who questions nothing, to a woman who becomes her own and questions everything. I find it comforting when there are different kinds of heroines portrayed in literature. Gretchen is not physically strong by any means, but she is mentally and emotionally strong. Sometimes I feel like authors get so caught up in fleshing out their main character that the supporting cast falls flat, but the supporting characters were wonderful as well, although some are wonderfully terrifying.
Starting the book, I was unaware that it was a thriller and mystery as well as being historical fiction. These three genres fit together nicely to create a story that was intense and intriguing. I found the book very unpredictable (which is obviously important in a mystery/thriller) and I had to even take breaks from reading because my inability to guess what was going to happen next was stressing me out.
This book is incredible and I wish I could better articulate that, but I find it harder to explain why I love books versus why I don’t love books. I can’t wait to read the second and concluding book in this duology so I can find out what happens to all of the characters! (Also, you should really read the author’s note at the end because it explains which characters, events, etc. actually existed/happened.)
Final Rating:
★★★★★
Buy it now:
Amazon // Barnes & Noble // The Book Depository
