The Man in the High Castle is a weird book that plays with a lot of challenging ideas regarding racial and cultural norms. But it’s ultimately unsatisfying as a story.
Written in the 1960s, it’s set in an “alternate present” where the Axis have won WWII. The Pacific States of America are a Japanese territory. The eastern US is allied with the Reich, and what is left of the old US exists in the Mountain west.
Most of the action takes place in the Pacific States. In an amusing turning of the tables, kitschy pre-war Americana is all the rage among the Japanese. Everything from Colt .45s to authentic Mickey Mouse watches are in such high demand that a thriving trade in counterfeits has arisen. This is a fun counterpoint to the anime, ninjas, samurai swords, and various Japanese things that are prevalent in our US culture.
The book is also interesting as a contemplation of the notion of race. In the Pacific States the Japanese race is the dominant one. Japanese looks define beauty. Pasty white, tall, big nosed Americans are obsessed with trying to look more Japanese so they can be “beautiful”. Though technically equal, white Americans are made to understand they are inferior to those of Japanese descent. Jews and people of African descent have an even worse time of it.
And this is where I think the book goes a little too far. Black people clearly get the shortest end of all possible sticks in this new world order. The problem is, until right at the very end, there are no black characters. So this depiction comes across as a bit unconsciously racist on the part of the author.
But the real problem with the book is how it’s written. It’s choppy and aimless. I later read that the author used the I Ching to plot the story, and it shows the signs of having been organized in a random and haphazard fashion.
The Man in the High Castle is a book full of great ideas, particularly its musings on race and culture, and is worth a read for that reason. The plot, on the other hand, leaves much to be desired.
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