Fatherland - Robert Harris

When I finished my last book I had no idea what to read next, so I asked my husband to pick something for me from his collection.  I'd noticed a string of Robert Harris books before, so when he suggested one I took him up on it.  It seemed logical to start with the first one written, and so Fatherland it was.

Fatherland is based in Berlin in 1964, but not the Berlin you would read about in history books or might have experienced.  This is Germany with history re-written - how it might have looked if the Germans had won World War II.  The story is based around a police investigator and a murder that he finds himself investigating, and the consequences of the investigation push him further and further in over his head.

The first thing to say is that I found the concept fascinating.  I don't know much about Nazi Germany and this has left me wanting to find out more.  I also loved the idea of changing a few events in history and looking at the difference that would have made to the world.  As far as can be done, any references are based on fact (although clearly some changes had to be made).

I never really felt like I 'got into' the book.  I read it every day, including a bit at lunchtime when I was near the end, it just didn't grab me as much as other books have done.  Part of that was struggling to identify with the characters, one of my key draws in a book.  For some of the book I was definitely reading just to find out how it ended.

That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it though.  As I said, the concept really interested me and it is what made it different to all the other books I've read recently.  I also have to remember that I tend to read quite a limited range of books, so stepping outside my comfort zone will always be strange at first.  The real testament I suppose is that I will be trying some more of his books as the writing style was easy going and he clearly thinks about the setup of the books.

As to whether I'd recommend it to a friend, well it would depend on the friend.  I'd definitely suggest that they read it, I just might not commit to an opinion of my own.