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A review by perpetuallyreading
A Man Lies Dreaming by Lavie Tidhar
5.0
I haven't had a chance to read many stories with an alternate history plot, but A Man Lies Dreaming had me scrambling for more in this genre.
The story starts with Wolf, an anti-Semitic down-and-out detective, who accepts a job from a well-to-do Jewish girl to find her sister. The twist in this world is that the Nazis (and therefore Hitler) never came to power in Germany, and was beaten in the elections by the Communists. As we navigate this topsy-turvy world with Wolf, the story also cuts to the point of view of Shomer, a Jewish pulp-fiction author imprisoned in Auschwitz during WWII. You quickly realize that the topsy-turvy world is all in Shomer's imagination, his way of coping with the horrors of being in a concentration camp.
I really enjoyed the 1st and 3rd person voice Tidhar uses throughout the novel. There's sections of Wolf's diary included in the narrative, and I liked how it added even more depth to Wolf's true feelings towards everything that was happening throughout the novel. With that said, Wolf is definitely not a likeable character. He's rude, ignorant, racist, and sexist, and the fact that he is Shomer's interpretation of Hitler if he'd never came into power does not lighten your attitude towards him at all. However, watching Wolf (or Hitler) get disrespected, beat up, and spat upon by everyone else in the book is a bit satisfying.
The overall plot, mystery, and ending was throughly enjoyable and I loved every moment of this crazy ride. I definitely recommend this book for people who enjoy alternate histories, but also don't mind sexually explicit and brutal content. Tidhar was definitely unapologetic when it came to writing this book, and is a great commentary against racism and prejudice towards refugees.
The story starts with Wolf, an anti-Semitic down-and-out detective, who accepts a job from a well-to-do Jewish girl to find her sister. The twist in this world is that the Nazis (and therefore Hitler) never came to power in Germany, and was beaten in the elections by the Communists. As we navigate this topsy-turvy world with Wolf, the story also cuts to the point of view of Shomer, a Jewish pulp-fiction author imprisoned in Auschwitz during WWII. You quickly realize that the topsy-turvy world is all in Shomer's imagination, his way of coping with the horrors of being in a concentration camp.
I really enjoyed the 1st and 3rd person voice Tidhar uses throughout the novel. There's sections of Wolf's diary included in the narrative, and I liked how it added even more depth to Wolf's true feelings towards everything that was happening throughout the novel. With that said, Wolf is definitely not a likeable character. He's rude, ignorant, racist, and sexist, and the fact that he is Shomer's interpretation of Hitler if he'd never came into power does not lighten your attitude towards him at all. However, watching Wolf (or Hitler) get disrespected, beat up, and spat upon by everyone else in the book is a bit satisfying.
The overall plot, mystery, and ending was throughly enjoyable and I loved every moment of this crazy ride. I definitely recommend this book for people who enjoy alternate histories, but also don't mind sexually explicit and brutal content. Tidhar was definitely unapologetic when it came to writing this book, and is a great commentary against racism and prejudice towards refugees.