Starting from the fact that I thought this The Castle in the Forest was going to take other thematic paths (I'm not used to reading the synopses), I have the feeling that I have read a very good book but, however, it bothers me to know that it could have reached higher levels. There is something wrong that prevents rounding off the work - extremely powerful in its approach and in its prose - and I think it lies in the role of that minor devil who never completely fits into the story for me, except at the end. And another but is that the author also does not manage to deepen enough in the figure of Adolf Hitler (although this may perhaps be my problem for expecting more prominence of "Adi"), something that he does, and in a masterful way, with the characters of the father and the mother. The rest are all virtues. Very enjoyable and highly recommended.

DNF.

I left it on page 159.

As a topic, it is interesting, but it is rather nonsense and a bit densely written. I often read each sentence twice. It required concentration, and during this specific period, I don't want to focus on reading. I want it for relaxation.

I left it with regret. I wanted to see what would happen next. I just want something easier to read now. I believe I will pick it up again another time.

https://kiallovivlio.blogspot.com/

This book seemed to have potential with its interesting topic. However, the way it was written made it a bit of a struggle for me to get through. The dense writing and lack of clarity in some parts made it necessary for me to read sentences multiple times. At the moment, I'm in a phase where I'm looking for something more轻松 and enjoyable to read for relaxation purposes. So, although I'm curious about what comes next in the story, I decided to put it aside for now. I'm confident that I'll come back to it at a later time when I'm in a better mindset to fully engage with it.

Maybe the next time I pick it up, I'll be able to appreciate its unique charm and finish it without any difficulties.

In the meantime, I'll explore other books that offer a more straightforward and enjoyable reading experience.

https://kiallovivlio.blogspot.com/

I had high expectations of learning more about Adolf Hitler, specifically delving deep into his origins and uncovering the source of all the evil that he brought upon the world. However, to my disappointment, a significant portion of the content focused on his parents, grandparents, and other relatives. While we did gain a small amount of knowledge about Adolf himself, to be completely honest, the book as a whole was not worth the time and effort spent reading it.

It seemed that the author had strayed too far from the main subject matter, leaving me with a sense of dissatisfaction. I had hoped for a more in-depth exploration of Hitler's mindset, his rise to power, and the events that led to the atrocities committed during his reign.

Overall, this book failed to meet my expectations and I would not recommend it to others who are seeking a comprehensive understanding of Adolf Hitler and his impact on history.

It is interesting in some aspects. The only thing that annoys me is the proposed explanation by Mailer for the horror of the figure of Adolf Hitler. However, if we overlook that, the so-called "novel" raises some really interesting questions. It is not on the same level as some of his other works, but I have quite enjoyed reading it.

Mailer's attempt to understand and explain Hitler's actions and character is both bold and controversial. While his ideas may not be entirely convincing, they do prompt us to think more deeply about the nature of evil and the forces that can drive a person to commit such atrocities. On the other hand, the story itself has its own charm. It presents a fictionalized account of events that, although not entirely accurate, manages to capture the essence of the times and the emotions of the people involved.

Overall, despite its flaws, this work has something to offer. It makes us reflect on history, human nature, and the power of literature to explore and illuminate these complex themes. Whether or not we agree with Mailer's views, we can still appreciate the effort he has put into creating a thought-provoking and engaging piece of writing.

Nobody does it like Norman Mailer, one of my favorite authors.

His works are a literary powerhouse, captivating readers with their raw energy and unflinching exploration of the human condition.

Mailer's writing style is unique, a blend of vivid imagery, sharp dialogue, and profound insights.

Whether he is delving into the chaos of war, the complexity of relationships, or the darker side of human nature, he does so with a fearless abandon that leaves a lasting impression.

His novels, such as "The Naked and the Dead" and "Armies of the Night," are not only masterpieces of storytelling but also powerful commentaries on the society and times in which they were written.

Norman Mailer is truly a literary giant, and his works will continue to inspire and influence generations of readers and writers to come.

This was my very first Mailer novel, and based on what I've read - not only within the covers of the book itself but also the reviews here on Amazon [review originally written in April 2009] - I made a poor choice.

We are led to believe that this is a story about Hitler's formative years. When one looks at the bibliography, it appears that Mailer intended (and indeed produced) something of a historical fiction. However, while we see a great deal of Hitler's ancestors (particularly his father and his difficulties with the zipper), and a little of the young "Adi", it almost seems to me that this is more of a musing on the workings of good and evil - God and the Devil, from the Devil's perspective - with an infamous product of this struggle as the context.

If I were to tweet a riddle regarding "Castle in the Forest", I might write, "What do you get when you cross The Rolling Stones (Sympathy for the Devil), Freud, and Oedipus Rex?" It's a strange and rather convoluted mix that Mailer has put together in this novel. One can't help but wonder if he was trying to be too clever or if he truly had a unique vision that simply didn't quite come across as clearly as he might have hoped.

Overall, I was left feeling somewhat disappointed and confused by this book. It had its moments of interest, but it didn't quite deliver on the promise of being a straightforward exploration of Hitler's early life.

There is no doubt that Norman Mailer had a remarkable command of the written word. My admiration for his writing skills, along with the extensive research evident in this book and the captivating premise of his final novel, prevent me from completely trashing this work. However, I'm not going to praise it extravagantly either, as I was ultimately underwhelmed by "The Castle in the Forest."

Seeing Hitler from birth to adolescence through the eyes of one of Satan's minions guiding his path to pure evil sounded like a brilliant idea when I read the synopsis. But Mailer's execution didn't quite live up to the expectations set by the premise, his excellent reputation, and my appreciation for his previous works.

I can overlook the strange fascination the book has with bowel movements, unpleasant smells, and other unappealing aspects. Mailer seems to equate poor hygiene with evil, as if the best way to convince readers that a person is born bad is by making him repulsive. Given that Hitler is the result of incest in this book, something I'd never heard before, I guess it makes sense that he wouldn't be especially likable even before evil and a thirst for power took over. So I accepted the prevalent incest and pedophilia.

However, I'm less forgiving of the excessive detail given to the raising of bees. While the activities in a beehive can be interesting, "The Castle in the Forest" goes on and on about bees far beyond what my interest could bear. Then there's a large portion of the book that abandons the main plot to follow the coronation of Nicholas II. Although the narrator remains the same, this section has much less to do with Hitler's upbringing than its word count suggests. In fact, Mailer even says in the book that readers can skip this section and resume reading 40 pages later, and after struggling through it, I wished I had taken his advice. The Nicholas II section should have been severely edited.

If I seem overly critical, it's partly because I had such high hopes for "The Castle in the Forest" based on the promising plot and the author's renowned talent. The end result is not a bad book, but rather an admirable effort that I found more disappointing than memorable.

What enables devils to survive is that we are wise enough to understand that there are no true answers—there are only questions.

This statement from the book is both thought-provoking and a bit disturbing. It makes you wonder about the nature of truth and how we perceive the world around us.

I would not recommend this book to anyone unless they want to think of rosebuds and opals their entire lives. The imagery in the book is quite vivid and can be quite distracting at times. However, as someone who rates books on a scale of how much they impacted me, I was forced to up the star.

The book does have its moments of brilliance, and it definitely made me think about things in a different way. It's not a light read by any means, but if you're looking for something that will challenge your thinking and make you question the world around you, then this book might be worth a try.

Overall, I would rate this book a 3 out of 5 stars. It's not perfect, but it does have its redeeming qualities.

This was a situation that hovered somewhere between being captivating and an exercise in drudgery.

The narrator, an SS officer, has been possessed by a minion of what is presumably Satan.

The malevolent entity takes responsibility for the sickening and sordid background that was Adolf Hitler's purported upbringing.

Two revelations come to light that pose a threat to Hitler's authority. Firstly, it is suggested that he is of Jewish lineage, which would have been a significant blow to his anti-Semitic ideology.

Secondly, there is the claim that he is a product of incest.

These revelations, if true, would have had far-reaching consequences for Hitler and the Nazi regime.

They would have undermined his carefully constructed image and the foundation of his power.

However, it is important to note that these are just claims and need to be evaluated with a critical eye.

Nonetheless, they add an interesting and controversial dimension to the study of Hitler and his rise to power.

The voice of the narrator is interesting as it manages to get close, penetrate, into the bodies of the characters.

However, at times this demon, this voice, gets lost in parallel historical events without much connection or even forcing that connection too much.

This creates a certain dissonance in the narrative, as the readers may find themselves pulled in different directions.

On one hand, they are engaged by the intimate exploration of the characters' inner lives, while on the other hand, they are confronted with these seemingly disjointed historical events.

It makes one wonder if the author intended to create this sense of fragmentation or if it was an unintended consequence of the narrative choices.

Nonetheless, it adds an element of complexity to the story that keeps the readers engaged and思考.

One of the most boring books I have ever read is this one, despite the fact that the author is a two-time Pulitzer winner.

The book is a strange combination of fiction and historical facts about Hitler's family and his early life up to the age of 18. It delves into the incestuous relationships in his family tree, starting from his grandparents. His mother actually called his father "uncle."

His father was an Austrian customs official who was described as vile, a womanizer, and strict.

All of the above makes for an interesting read up to about a hundred and fifty-odd pages.

However, after that, the book takes a rather strange turn and goes into gross sexuality, beekeeping, and even the czars of Russia. It seems to lose its focus and becomes a jumble of random topics.

Overall, I would not recommend this book at all. It fails to maintain a coherent narrative and the content becomes increasingly unappealing as the book progresses.

The story was truly complicated, and I found myself longing for it to have endured for a longer period. Ideally, I wished it could have carried on at least through Hitler's twenties.

Regrettably, it came to an abrupt halt precisely at the point where his real life was about to commence. However, despite this shortcoming, it was an extremely good book.

Once I started reading it, I simply could not bring myself to put it down. The narrative had such a powerful hold on me that I was completely engrossed from beginning to end.

Even though the story didn't cover as much of Hitler's life as I would have liked, the part that was presented was engaging and well-written. It left me with a sense of curiosity and a desire to know more about the events and circumstances that followed.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in history or in exploring the complex psyche of a historical figure.