Not just a spell-binding book on the mind of a very sick individual, but a scathing critique of Austria pre- and post-WW2. An in-depth study of how a man like Fritzl, despite an earlier rape conviction, possessed qualities that permitted his sociopathic tendencies to be overlooked by those in authority and Austrian society in general.
Austria's relationship with Nazi Germany and its subsequent denial of intimacy shaped the scenery for decades that enabled Fritzl's crimes to go undiscovered for so long.
As horrific as the crimes themselves were the attitudes fostered by war and occupation.
