by Norman Mailer
Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Jan 2007
496 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
The narrator, a mysterious SS man who is later revealed to be an exceptional presence, gives us young Adolf from birth, as well as Hitler's father and mother, his sisters and brothers, and the intimate details of his childhood and adolescence.
A tapestry of unforgettable characters, The Castle in the Forest delivers its playful twists and surprises with astonishing insight into the nature of the struggle between good and evil that exists in us all. At its core is a hypothesis that propels this novel and makes it a work of stunning originality.
"Starred Review. The novel sometimes feels like a psychoanalytic version of The Screwtape Letters, but Mailer arrives at a somber, compelling portrait of a monstrous soul." - PW.
"What is Mailer up to? Why does the narrative stop in the early teens of the future Fuhrer? And why does Adolf keep having those inappropriate erections and ejaculations in the forest? Alternately engaging, embarrassing and exasperating. " - Kirkus
"... many readers will find the Satan-and-army-of-devils conceit a gimmick, perhaps even an offensive one, in trying to reach an understanding of evil. Other readers will be, as always, excited by Mailer's intelligence and creativity." - Booklist.
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This is Mailer's first major work of fiction in over a decade.
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