Germania: A Novel

By Brendan McNally

Book Overview

This highly original debut novel set during the final days of the Third Reich follows the journey of one of the most famous cabaret acts--Jewish quadruplets--who captured Germany's popular imagination.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1416558829
• ISBN13: 9781416558828
• Release Date: February 2009
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 1.2" x 6.3"

Customer Reviews

A Wonderful Read!

I absolutely love this book and heartily recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good read. Brendan McNally deftly weaves an intriguing tale that centers around the fictional Loerber brothers, four German-Jewish entertainers, and their interactions with Nazi mass murderers, Zionist pioneers, arrogant Englishmen and, perhaps most engagingly, with one another. This book took me on a wonderful journey away from my daily life. I look forward to reading McNally's next opus.

Intriguing and well-written historical fiction about the Flensburg Government

At first glance, Germania appears to follow the lives of the Four Magical Flying Loerber Brothers, a fictitious Weimar-era troupe of acrobats and performers, who were huge stars in pre-war Germany. While the stories are centered mostly around these characters, I came to find that the main crux of the story was the brief period after Germany's surrender known as the Flensburg Government, when Grand Admiral Dönitz was ruling (in a loose sense) the country. Between the facts presented surrounding those principal characters (Albert Speer, Henirich Himmler, and others), and the fanciful addition of the Loerbers, there is an incredible dynamic created that not only expresses the absurdity of three weeks after surrender, but tries to explain the actual historical events in the same strange light surrounding the defeated Axis power. What struck me as interesting was the historical basis for this novel. Just as with Shaara's works, McNally provides us an insight into World War II through use of fiction, but in a different sense. Rather than merely rely on imaginative powers to conceive of words that historical figures might have used, there is the additional element of fictional characters who serve to move the plot forward, as well as signify the era in a sense. Not knowing a great deal about the Flensburg Government as I began to read this novel, I was intrigued by the political atmosphere and social upheaval of the time. I think the absurd nature of the Loerbers perfectly captures this period in time, however. My only complaint would be that I felt somewhat empty at the end. I suppose that is due to the very nature of the topic, in which case, bravo to McNally for wonderfully capturing his point. A definitely must-read for WWII history fans/buffs, those who are curious how a people could turn against one race, those who enjoy post-war German literature, or anyone in the mood for a very well done historical fiction. While it nearly lost a star for me due to the apparent fizzling out at the end, upon reflection, it was merely the perfect denouement to sum up the Flensburg Government, Germany's wartime era, and this most excellent novel.

enthralling historical fiction

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It chronicles the ending days of the Third Reich from an unusual standpoint. Clearly, many different people made up the society of the old Weimar Republic and they were all caught up in the ensuing maelstrom of the Third Reich. This tells the story of some such "innocent' bystanders-The Flying Magical Loerber Brothers (a popular vaudeville act of the Weimar Republic). This is actually a terrific adventure story with lots of subplots and twists & turns. Here we read about the famed hidden Nazi Gold, the U Boats, and various intrigues as all strive to gain Power. I turned the pages on this book quickly-I really got caught up in it and found this a very original way to explore one of history's darkest chapters.

Well Done End of 3rd Reich with magician twist..

This is a really excellent and accessible fiction mixed with fact, and showing major historical figures in a convincing, if perhaps sympathetic, light. Speer, Donitz, and others are shown scheming and hoping for some way to end the war, or maybe even get away from it. Mixed in this brew are magician brothers and their mind-bending tricks, as the whole cast of characters gets mixed up in this truly surrealist and murderous last days of the reich. The book attempts to put the insanity and horror of these last days in all their bizarreness, and to a large degree succeeds. Smoke and mirrors meets depravity on a cosmic scale, and this book by a first time author adds a new dimension tho this historical reality of only 63 years ago, as a great nation and culture dissolves. Fine job!

Which one is your favorite?

In his novel Germania, first time novelist Brendan McNally wonderfully tells the engrossing tale of the Loerber brothers, Manni, Franzi, Ziggy and Sebastian set against the fall of Hitler's Third Reich. The author first introduces the reader to the Jewish brothers at the top of their game as a vaudeville act in the early days of Hitler's rise to power, and then quickly shifts the action to the final days of World War II, when after many years of being apart the Loerber's find themselves entwined with real people in power during the last gasps of Hitler's dream. The brothers - who have suppressed the Jewish heritage as a method of survival disarm those in charge, and spin a web of wonderment designed to lead others out of the war and ultimately save themselves. The phrase "Which one is your favorite" repeats itself as character after character reminds themselves of the brothers and their once popular act. The cover art is a metaphor for the ways the brothers juggle people and events and its a metaphor for their means of living in the moment, and its a metaphor for the number of plots that the writer keeps deftly in the air as he keeps the plot moving. Many books have been written about the "last days in the bunker", but McNally infuses the Loerber brothers with wit and charm as the struggle against the Nazi machine. The dialog is as engaging and the imagery is brilliant, and I found myself bargaining with myself to read just one more chapter before promising to put the down, only to repeat that cycle. The plot, which is infused with dark humor, moves quickly and I found myself rooting for the brothers as they try and steer fate way from the perverse nature of the Nazi outlook on life towards that which is just and right for humans. If I have any complaints in the book is that sometimes I found myself reading dialog involving Heinrich Himmler and Albert Speer and finding some rather modern clichés coming from those figures. These few instances were startling for me because the rest of the book was such a seamless and wonderful experience. However McNally is a first time novelist and I chalk this one minor flaw to his novice status. GERMANIA is well written story, that is compelling, entertaining and populated with well-drawn, interesting characters. Its time well spent, and heck of a good read that captures your attention with the first page and holds it until the last.