…. by Erik Larson

After reading Devil in the White City, and several reviews for this book I wasn’t sure I was going to like Erik Larson’s new book. I found the afore mentioned book very interesting but at times it was  slow and the details were cumbersome.

My husband read In the Garden of Beasts before I did and he couldn’t put it down. He read it in a day and a half. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book.

Set in Germany, after Hitler came to power, the story focuses on the American ambassador, Dodd and his daughter, Martha and how they viewed life in Berlin from 1933 to 1937. Dodd quickly realized how dangerous Hitler and his henchmen were and despite his warnings to his bosses in Washington and President Roosevelt, he was considered weak and ineffective in his role as ambassador.

Martha Dodd had a completely different opinion of the German people and the Nazis. In fact she befriended and dated numerous high ranking officials in the Nazi party and invited them to the ambassador’s home for social functions. At one point she is introduced to Hitler, himself, to be considered as a potential wife for the German leader. I was amazed at how many lovers this woman had and how accepting or perhaps naive her parents were about their daughter’s numerous affairs. She was certainly playing with fire when one considers the company she kept.

In time Martha begins to see the Nazis for who they really are and tries to disassociate herself from their company. She falls in love with Boris from the Soviet Union embassy and becomes enamoured with communism. Sounds like a good piece of fiction but is in fact non-fiction.

Larson has carefully researched this dark period of history and painstakingly documented all his resources. Writing this saga through the eyes of the Dodd family and how those in power in Washington turned a blind eye to what was really happening in Berlin gives the reader a new perspective of how Hitler ascended to power.

Compelling and informative. Rating: 4/5