3 stars
| While the book is written in a simple way without much character development, its story is so eerie and engrossing that it is easy to get caught up in it regardless. I didn’t much care for the writing (perhaps because it is intended for a younger audience), but the plot was very interesting in how it showed the psychology of what was happening. I found the various characters’ lines of thought and reasoning especially interesting as the story progressed. The book is quite dated, having been written in the 80’s, which may disconnect current readers, however its message still comes through clearly. The pacing of the book was good overall, although the ending felt clunky. It was awkwardly handled and I kind of wanted more information on the aftermath of how things played out. This is a novelization of a teleplay based on a short story inspired by real events, which is a whole new level of inception. But I think it’s definitely a good book to learn from in showing how little changes can quickly gain momentum and evolve into fascism. Unsettling and eye-opening. Goodreads |