The Man in the High Castle

I didn't dislike it, but I also don't feel like I connected with it? I liked the initial structure of it feeling like multiple vignettes that had all connected somewhat to the same book. And while I understand what was happening, I felt like it wasn't quite hitting the right notes for certain characters or even the overall theme. In a lot of ways, it felt like it kept fumbling some of them. (Edit: Upon reflection, it isn't actually true that the stories were woven around the same book because three of the characters never actually engage with the book in any capacity and their stories don't even mention it from the background.)

It was fine. Not my favourite book, but it was okay.

It descends into psychosis, just as the other Philip K. Dick book I have read, which is alright, but not really my cup of tea.

The reason I give it four stars, not less, is that Westerners should really read it for a small glance of what it feels to live under occupation.

My biggest problem with the book is how glorified Japanese are in it. Of course, at no point we can see narrator's opinion on them, we only read the thoughts of people living under Japanese occupation, brainwashed and prone to rebellious outbursts, but I can't help but to observe the fact that the European holocaust is mentioned a lot, but the equivalent which has happened in Asia at the hands of Japanese is swept under the rug. It almost feels like the author doesn't want to touch this subject.

This quote about nazis, however, saves the book:

They are overcome by some archetype; their egos have expanded psychotically so that they cannot tell where they begin and the godhead leaves off. It is not hubris, not pride; it is inflation of the ego to its ultimate—confusion between him who worships and that which is worshiped. Man has not eaten God; God has eaten man.

And it is all so familiar as we see the events of the modern world unfold.

I read this book because I'd seen a couple of episodes of the TV series. Honestly, as usual, the book is better. They took a lot of liberties with the series (only way to stretch a relatively short book that long,) and the characters are sometimes quite different.

This is classic Phillip K. Dick. Dystopian alternative future. It's very conceptual, rather than character-driven, although a couple of the characters are better developed than the rest. Worth a read, for sure.

Well wroth reading even if, like me, you've watch the TV series as the storylines are completely different.

Interesting and engaging.

It's a well thought out world, but I didn't really like any of the characters.