Kasper Mützenmacher's Cursed Hat is the debut book from Keith Fentonmiller. A book that takes the reader on a challenging journey through Nazi Germany and the United States, where the story's characters face constant trials in what is a very emotional and original story. A mixture of alternate history and urban fantasy would be my guess. It is a book that explores the depths of human tragedy and misery - and even though it takes place in the past - it is something that I believe, many people will be able relate to on some level.

The book chronicles not only the life of Kasper Mützenmacher (through childhood to old age), but also tells the story of his father (to some extent), his mother, his children and his loves. It is a tale that speaks loudly of the human misery that took place in Nazi Germany and also the prejudices and racism that took place in Detroit during the time of the riots. The racial terms and stereotypes used throughout the book become 'heavy' and burdensome on the soul. It strikes the heart and opens the eyes to the misery that humans can afflict on other human beings. I believe the author brought across the feeling of racism and the pain and division that racism creates very well. Kasper Mützenmacher eventually escapes Nazi Germany but is unable to escape racism and hatred when he ends up in Detroit, where racism against Jews and African Americans runs rampant.

The plot, at times, felt a bit meandering and I felt that the story was being bogged down by superfluous detail and dialogue which didn't help the story progress. At the same time, the author managed to create a realistic environment for his characters and the characters were all well developed.
As the title also suggests, there is a curse involved, but the author didn't spend too much time integrating this curse into the story's main events. The curse and the cursed hat, while playing a very important role in the decision making of some characters, deserved much more time in the spotlight than it did. Due to its chronicling nature, the book lacked some plot elements (or else they were obscured). I'm not sure where the exact climax in the book would have been. The resolution of the story also happened really quickly, and for me, left me wanting some more explanations.

In Kasper Mützenmacher's Cursed Hat, the author creating an original story with elements of alternate history and urban fantasy/myth. Keith Fentonmiller also did a superb job in showing the disgusting and misery-inflicting results of racism and prejudice. Kasper Mützenmacher's Cursed Hat, had originally given me the impression of being either a young adult or 'kid-friendly' book. The book does contain some sexual situations and due to it's use of language, drug use, racial terms and stereotypes, is probably not suited for our younger readers. Even though the book seemed slow and arduous at times, I look forward to reading the second installment of the series and finding out where this cursed/magical journey takes us.


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Fabulous! Great world building, loving the characters, will be looking for more by this author!

This is not the book I thought I was going to read. I expected a fantasy about moving from here to there by hat, which is an extremely small part of the story and mostly happens behind the scenes. This is an odd book about the many types of discrimination and bigotry that shape our world. From Kristallnacht to race riots in Detroit, the book weaves them all together. Unfortunately it requires a great deal of coincidence and downright ridiculousness to get from one to the other. I appreciate the effort, but this is too much to hang on a magic hat.

Did not care for this book, too disjointed and not particularly well written. Sorry.