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A review by readunderthestars23
The Father by Anders Roslund, Anton Svensson, Elizabeth Clark Wessel, Stefan Thunberg
4.0
I was sent a copy of this by Hachette New Zealand for review. The Father is inspired by a true story, one I'd never heard of until now, but the story that came from it is disturbingly good.
I'd never heard of the Military League before this. I can't get over the fact that none of them had committed a crime before this. If half of what happened in this book is true, these men were incredibly smart and kind of crazy to even attempt what they did in the first place.
The way Leo, Felix and Vincent were raised, especially by their father, was isolating and abusive. What Ivan was able to get these boys to do to their own mother is disgusting and completely wrong. He teaches his kids that they're a clan, no one outside the five of them matters. He may not have psychically abused his sons, it's not the book anyway, but they were raised with violence in their home, with their father teaching them things young boys shouldn't know. It's no wonder they grew up to be who they were.
The planning that went into the robberies was intense. It was kind of scary. To think that two of them had started planning it years before too. The things Leo came up with, the escape routes and getaway cars, was really smart for someone who'd never done it before. I'd expect to see this kind of thing in a movie, not in a book inspired by true events. I don't know how much of the robberies actually happened but from the interview in the back of the book it sounded like they tried to keep them as close to what happened as possible.
I don't know how much of this is true and how much was put in to make a good story but from when I read it, it all makes for one crazily addictive book. I didn't want to put it down. I found myself wanting to read more even as I was busy with other things.
I highly recommend The Father. It's gripping, I couldn't think of anything else for days after I'd finished it. The whole time I was reading it I was wondering if they'd get caught, they seemed so smart, too smart. Sometimes when you're that clever, you get cocky and it all comes crashing down around you.
I'd never heard of the Military League before this. I can't get over the fact that none of them had committed a crime before this. If half of what happened in this book is true, these men were incredibly smart and kind of crazy to even attempt what they did in the first place.
The way Leo, Felix and Vincent were raised, especially by their father, was isolating and abusive. What Ivan was able to get these boys to do to their own mother is disgusting and completely wrong. He teaches his kids that they're a clan, no one outside the five of them matters. He may not have psychically abused his sons, it's not the book anyway, but they were raised with violence in their home, with their father teaching them things young boys shouldn't know. It's no wonder they grew up to be who they were.
The planning that went into the robberies was intense. It was kind of scary. To think that two of them had started planning it years before too. The things Leo came up with, the escape routes and getaway cars, was really smart for someone who'd never done it before. I'd expect to see this kind of thing in a movie, not in a book inspired by true events. I don't know how much of the robberies actually happened but from the interview in the back of the book it sounded like they tried to keep them as close to what happened as possible.
I don't know how much of this is true and how much was put in to make a good story but from when I read it, it all makes for one crazily addictive book. I didn't want to put it down. I found myself wanting to read more even as I was busy with other things.
I highly recommend The Father. It's gripping, I couldn't think of anything else for days after I'd finished it. The whole time I was reading it I was wondering if they'd get caught, they seemed so smart, too smart. Sometimes when you're that clever, you get cocky and it all comes crashing down around you.