HHhH

Un excellent roman historique se déroulant pendant la Seconde Guerre Mondiale, un récit mémorable et qui s'interroge également sur le difficile exercice d'écrire sur l'Histoire. Passionnant et très réussi.

4.5 stars

This is one of the more unique books I've read in a while. Technically it is a novel, but it reads like a cross between a novel, a memoir, and a history book. It received tons of accolades when it was released in English a few years ago, and I can see why.

The subject matter is the 1942 assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, one of the top-ranking Nazis, a historical event that is often overlooked despite Heydrich's significant connection to most of the most evil actions of the Nazis. Yes, you'll find it more interesting if that subject matter grabs your attention.

But it is the actual writing in the book that I find most interesting. The author inserts himself (or a narrator that is indistinguishable from himself) in the book, talking about his fascination with the story, his investigation of the events, etc. Even when he's more focused on the actual narrative, he'll make occasional comments about the events that are unfolding. I'm not typically into “postmodern” works, but his playing with the form works extremely well. The tone is informal and suits the book perfectly, and the extremely short “chapters”/breaks (257 in a 327 page book) propels the reader forward at a fast pace.

Recommended

Long flight book 3.

Is this a novel or a history book? History, but like nothing I have ever read.

Author Laurent Binet admits an obsession with the assassination of Nazi Reinhard Heydrich, easily one of the most appalling individuals that the moribund ideology of Nazism threw up. Heydrich I have read about often over the years, so what Binet offered was a new take. That take was Binets own personal immersion in everything he could find out about both Heydrich and those that were involved in his assassination. From there, he embellishes what he has researched with what he thought would make good style over substance in a historical novel, admitting that what he wrote was fantasy. This is very hard to explain, and for one attracted to pure history as the pursuit of an enquiring mind this was to say the least off-putting. On the other hand, the vague desire for esoteric literature made this a very good read. Talk about mixed emotions.

At this point, I read the praise and the criticism from a couple of Goodreads friends.

Ian has an excellent review that is far better than anything I could conceive, and I recommend his as essential.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4269999300

Marc has differing thoughts as to Ian's and I also recommend his as essential.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1257938515

I agree with the praise and the criticism. Is this entertainment or history? I shrug my shoulders as I am not sure.