BOOK REVIEW: The Taster
by V.S. Alexander
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ABOUT THE BOOK (from Amazon):
Amid the turbulence of World War II, a young German woman finds a precarious haven closer to the source of danger than she ever imagined—one that will propel her through the extremes of privilege and terror under Hitler’s dictatorship . . .
In early 1943, Magda Ritter’s parents send her to relatives in Bavaria, hoping to keep her safe from the Allied bombs strafing Berlin. Young German women are expected to do their duty—working for the Reich or marrying to produce strong, healthy children. After an interview with the civil service, Magda is assigned to the Berghof, Hitler’s mountain retreat. Only after weeks of training does she learn her assignment: she will be one of several young women tasting the Führer’s food, offering herself in sacrifice to keep him from being poisoned.
Perched high in the Bavarian Alps, the Berghof seems worlds away from the realities of battle. Though terrified at first, Magda gradually becomes used to her dangerous occupation—though she knows better than to voice her misgivings about the war. But her love for a conspirator within the SS, and her growing awareness of the Reich’s atrocities, draw Magda into a plot that will test her wits and loyalty in a quest for safety, freedom, and ultimately, vengeance.
Vividly written and ambitious in scope, The Taster examines the harrowing moral dilemmas of war in an emotional story filled with acts of extraordinary courage.
MY REVIEW:
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This book wasn’t for me.
It starts our really interesting—the main character, Magda, gets placed in a job as a taster for Hitler’s food. But overall the story overall was very boring. Magda has an oddly close relationship with Hitler and Eva, his significant other. And parts of the story were very far-fetched.
I don’t love historical fiction, so that’s probably part of it for me. Also, I recently read The Nightingale, which was also about the ugliness of WWII, and I think it was just too much for me too soon.
If you like historical fiction, you may enjoy this book. I don’t really recommend it.