A review by demottar
In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin, by Erik Larson
4.0
I enjoyed Larson's newest narrative nonfiction, but not quite as much as The Devil in the White City. I think this might be for two reasons - the historical events and figures described in Garden are a little more familiar, so the book as a whole was less of a revelation than Devil. I also think that the well-known events are so dramatic and shocking that any subplot (whether historical or fictional) would struggle standing up against the larger and fascinating context of the events leading up to WWII. I think I wanted more about Dodd and his family, or wanted their involvement to be more profound than it actually was.
For me, the most interesting and compelling aspect of Garden was how Larson really fleshed out Hitler's close confidants in a way that few other texts have done for me. I came at this book with a pretty thorough knowledge of the timeline leading up to Hilter's invasion of Poland and the key players in his world, but the way Larson described the political climate, the tension, and the ramifications of personal relationships within the Nazi party was truly fascinating.
I give 5 stars to the entire section on the Night of Long Knives, however. Larson's suspenseful buildup and conclusion of that well-known and well-documented event and its aftermath was perfect. I definitely think I understand that moment in history more fully than before.
For me, the most interesting and compelling aspect of Garden was how Larson really fleshed out Hitler's close confidants in a way that few other texts have done for me. I came at this book with a pretty thorough knowledge of the timeline leading up to Hilter's invasion of Poland and the key players in his world, but the way Larson described the political climate, the tension, and the ramifications of personal relationships within the Nazi party was truly fascinating.
I give 5 stars to the entire section on the Night of Long Knives, however. Larson's suspenseful buildup and conclusion of that well-known and well-documented event and its aftermath was perfect. I definitely think I understand that moment in history more fully than before.