Although the novel is the seventh part of the series, it's also comprehensible for newcomers. Important previous relationships are sufficiently explained, even if the emotional depth of some conflicts only fully unfolds through knowledge of the predecessors.

The novel draws a very detailed and historically sound picture of Berlin during the Nazi era. The fusion of fictional plot with real historical events and persons like Hermann Göring is precisely researched.

Johann Marlow acts as a complex antagonist whose presence permeates the entire plot. His connection to Rath is multifaceted and evolves from pure antagonism to a complicated relationship that blurs the moral boundaries between good and evil.