I decided to listen to an audio version of The Taster by V. S. Alexander as I had previously read a book by this author and although it was an interesting story, I was not taken with the author’s writing. I was hoping that an audio version would be more pleasing and thankfully it was.

The Taster is about Magda, a young German woman who is recruited to be one of the tasters of Adolph Hitler’s food. It was 1943 and she had been sent to Bavaria to keep her safe from the allied bombs that were starting to fall on Berlin. Needing a job she applies for the civil service and was astonished to be assigned to the Berghof, Hitler’s mountain retreat. Although not a member of the Nazi party or even a particular fan of Hitler, she is trained and soon finds herself in a position as a taster, offering herself as a shield to keep Hitler from being poisoned. She meets and falls in love with a handsome S.S. officer, and together they start to realize the atrocities that the Third Reich is responsible for and that Hitler is a madman who is only out for himself. Magda is drawn into a plot to kill Hitler and for her the last year of the war is one that tests her loyalty and safety as she follows her quest to bring about Hitler’s downfall.

I was totally captivated by the story but I was unsure of how accurate it was. When I had finished listening, I read a little further about the author and the research done for the book. I found that it is loosely based on the life of an actual taster, and that the author’s timeline was accurate as to where Hitler was during the last couple of years of the war. There were however all too many areas where the history was not recorded and it is these areas where the author relied upon imagination to fill in the blanks. I feel that the concept of this story was outstanding but I am not sure that the author actually delivered a believable book. ( )

Hindsight is 20/20 wish fulfillment porn. An average WWII novel that completely jumped the shark at the climax. Rolled my eyes so hard I couldn't even finish. Thank you... Next ( )

What an engaging story. I was held fast from beginning to end. The author has you become one with the main character as you go through her life. A great read. ( )

The Taster is a different WW2 historical fiction. The perspective is of a German protagonist that is very close to Hilter but doesn't believe in the Nazi party. The plot is fascinating reading about the tasters and what they had to go through each day and the horror they felt at maybe dying at any given tasting. The fictional part of this story was well thought out. Each character had a personality that jumped off the page. I loved our heroine, Magda, and the portrayal of Eva Braun was fascinating as well.
Yes, I am a third generation of Holocaust survivors, and I believe that inside the German people against the Third Reich, even high rank of Hitler's entourage. "The Tester" is a book that shows those people.
It is a book that people that enjoy the WW2 historical fiction genre should read. I am angered with myself that it took so much time to pick it up after my friend that gave it to me told me to read it ASAP.
I will be looking into the works of V. S. Alexander as I absolutely liked his writing. And as he has published more books, I look forward to reading more of his books.

She is a Taster for Adolf Hitler. Sees things from within Hitler's retreat. Non-Jewish, German perspective of the war. Written well, interesting ( )