Hitler "wakes up" in Germany in 2008 in an empty parking lot, in full military regalia. He has no idea what has happened to the last 60 some years or why he hasn't aged, and he really doesn't seem to spend too much time thinking about it. There are more important issues at hand; There are Turks everywhere, a woman is in charge of the country, and the German "Volk" need him more than ever! Through his interactions with the amused public, who mistakenly assume that he is a talented method actor who never breaks character, he is soon "discovered" by a television company and becomes an overnight sensation on YouTube.
I really wanted this to be more entertaining then it was for me. The premise is golden, but the execution was not nearly as humorous as I was hoping it would be. About half way through I found myself wishing that David Sedaris or someone like him had had the idea. And this is not to knock the author at all. I am not German and I am sure that many of the pop culture references went right over my head. I am also sure that somewhere in here there was a sharp indictment of modern culture's fascination with evil. But c'mon. There are only two ways to play this in my opinion. It is either a horror story, or it is a Farrelly Brothers gag reel.
I will say that the author did an amazing job of crafting Hitler's persona and voice. The amount of historical data, reminiscences, speculation, strategy, ideology, etc., that spews from his mouth is maybe the most interesting aspect of this story. The guy feels "right", and in an eerie realization at about half way through the book, I thought "WTF? I am actually rooting for Hitler!!" True, in this incarnation he is a little bit endearing in that he is out of his time and element, and most everyone thinks he is crazy as a loon.... but still.
So I didn't love it but it was a good read and definitely not your run of the mill plotting. If someone were looking for something a bit different I would recommend this.
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