A problem with historical fiction is the necessity to explain an 'alternative history' either through narrative or the spoken word. So counter-intuitive is the premise of this novel - England has become a vassal state of Germany, having surrendered in 1940 - that the explanation becomes burdensome and sometimes almost overwhelming. But there are some wickedly delicious flights of fancy e.g. a 1952 cabinet comprising Beaverbrook, Mosley and Enoch Powell. And Sansom's extensive research is impressive.
(Jeremy Miller - bwl 67 Winter 2013 ) |
