 Morris <unk> of The New York Times was more critical of the book , calling it " a <unk> and badly executed novel , a <unk> distraction from the serious business of thinking through the <unk> <unk> of the Nazi era . " He described it as " <unk> " that is " <unk> [ d ] " by too much " fine writing " ( <unk> @-@ <unk> ) . He also complained that the characters are lifeless , and while they each have detailed histories , they are only " verbal <unk> " that do not separate them from one another . Finally <unk> noted that because almost all the points of Hitler 's speech are drawn from some of Steiner 's earlier works , he " unwittingly creates sympathy for Hitler by making him old and pathetic yet also <unk> and brilliant — at once <unk> harmless and <unk> dangerous . " 
