3.5*

This is the author who wrote the well-received novel ‘Look Who’s Back’, which I enjoyed. Given that story was about Hitler reappearing, it is clear that this author is not averse to tackling topical/difficult issues.

In this novel – The Hungry and the Fat – migrants are on the march across Europe, in full view of the media. Their progress is told from many different perspectives and tension relies on whether (and how) any country might stop them. The satire is more hard nosed in this novel and therefore the levity is scarce. And of course this was published in 2020 and the situation across Europe in this regard has changed a lot.

It is a difficult subject to take on and at times the narrative gets a little bogged down over the 550+ pages. but it is a brave book and worth your time, given the migrant crisis is at the heart of politics across Europe.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

By the author of Look Who’s Back, a satirical novel about Hitler travelling through time to present day Germany, and how modern German society responds to him (which is well worth a read, by the way) comes this title. Again, it’s a satirical novel, and again, Like Look Who’s Back, it’s long. The Hungry and the Fat comes in at nearly 600 pages!
This is a book about a reality TV star/presenter, Nadeche Hackenbusch, who goes to film her show, Nadeche Hackenbusch: An Angel in Adversity, in a refugee camp in sub-Saharan Africa. Her show previously has shown the plight of refugees living in hostels, but now they’re taking it to the next level.

And soon her show is a hit.

Nadeche herself is naïve and seems to care only about shallow things (handbags and make up, etc) but the TV executives underestimate her (as does everyone) and when she falls for the refugee who is the show’s fixer, Lionel, trouble is in store. Because one thing leads to another, and she and Lionel decide to walk to Germany to seek asylum.

With 150’000 other refugees in tow.

The author paints a scenario where all the countries this human convoy passes through let them pass, because they don’t want to be stuck with them. At first the German government and the rest of the world don’t take them seriously, but as they get closer and closer, the panic sets in.

This is a great novel and despite its length, I was gripped all the way through. The plot is weirdly plausible, despite being far-fetched, and always topical (because when isn’t the world gripped by a refugee crisis), and I write this review while Russia wages war on Ukraine and refugees flee that war zone.

While Ukrainian refugees are welcome (so far) many refugees are treated with hostility, whatever the suffering they've been through, and the author shows how those in Germany who want to be humanitarian are pitted against those who want to slam shut the gates of Fortress Europe. And all the while, the refugees are stuck in the middle.

A fantastic read, as was Look Who’s back, I look forward to Vermes’ next novel.

What happens when a vacuous reality TV presenter using the plight of a refugee camp as a career-booster suddenly goes rogue and decides to take the whole camp on a trek back to Germany?

What follows is a grimly humorous portrait of the excruciatingly self-serving superficiality of media producers, B-list reality TV stars and politicians.

Filled with cringingly awful characters, it's an entertaining read, but I didn't enjoy it as much as Vermes' 'Look Who's Back'.

(Also spent the entire book wondering whether the journalist's articles had been intentionally chopped up into incoherent word salad, or whether it was just a formatting issue with the ARC).

When, “Look Who’s Back,” Timur Vermes debut novel, made a lot of noise, a few of my reading friends suggested it might be a novel I enjoyed. Sadly, I still haven’t gotten around to reading it, but I must make time, as I really enjoyed this, his latest.“The Hungry and the Fat,” would, I feel, be absolutely perfect for a reading group. It deals with such modern issues as celebrity, reality television, immigration and migrants. What made the novel work for me, though, were the characters.

The book begins with Nadeche Hackenbusch, a Germany model and reality TV star. At first, she is horrified to hear that the next idea for her programme – ‘An Angel in Adversity’ – is for her to visit a refugee camp. Accompanied, among others, by a journalist, called Astrid, there is initial shock at the conditions and expectations upon them. However, for one of the refugees, known as Lionel, it is a chance to try to finally leave this motionless world of tents and forgotten expectations and try, finally, to make it to Europe. Handsome, clever and desperate, Lionel manages to wangle himself a chance to be on the show and to use the ‘Angel,’ as his passport to somewhere else.

However, when the show becomes a surprise hit, the authorities become worried. The borders are closed, but viewers are growing, and so are expectations… This is a really interesting novel, which tackles a very difficult, and highly emotive, subject. I will, certainly, go back and read Vermes debut, as he is definitely an author worth reading.

DNF Review- Unfortunatly I was unable to finish this book. I read over half and found the releationships with characters amusing enough and the authors crude humour from his previous novels was evidident. However it was a novel that was dragging its feet in the ground and painfuly slow to get moving. I was with the migrants and had a clear narratives of good vs bad but it just did not work for me and became tired of everyone and no longer wanted to spend time in their company. It felt far to long and I clearly was missing the intent of the author. Perhaps a translation issue but I enjoyed his first book enough. Dissapointed.

I was attracted by the blurb but I couldn't connect to the characters who grated on my nerves and the story didn't keep my attention.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

A dark and disturbing picture of the refugee crisis told from varying perspectives. Unfortunately, I struggled slightly with the fact that none of the characters were particularly likeable. However I think that was the point, it counters with the truly horrifying story of the thousands of anonymous innocents.
The whole thing was very well written and translated but it wasn't what I expected. It's a thought provoking and important piece of fiction, sharply satirical but really quite a hard read for me.

Oh dear. Yes, if you want a short review, then it's that "Look Who's Back" looks like being a wonderful, wondrous one-off. If you want a longer review, then you must have some DNA common with this book's editor, for he could have halved this in length and not lost anything. A lovely German woman has gone from D-lister to TV star by pretending to care about fixing things in a refugee hostel in front of the cameras. But when she goes to a full city-sized refugee camp in the heart of Africa for more of the same, she goes native. And then, to the disgust of her employers, and some of those in government, she decides to do something more about the issue. I'm sure there's a hilarious satire of the platitudes spoken about Africa and refugees, and Europe's response to the same, but this isn't it. It's just leaden, plodding, with no characters you care about or think worth your time. Barely raising more than a chuckle with the horrendous 'journalism' of someone embedded with the star in the camp, this is nothing like Vermes' first book, and pretty much is a waste of time, and in fact in seeming to be set post-Trump and post-Merkel, only able to flippantly gloss over a lot of real issues.