Reviews - Demian: Emil Sinclair ifjúságának története

2.64k reviews for:

Demian: Emil Sinclair ifjúságának története

Hermann Hesse

4.05 AVERAGE

smoreno112's review against another edition

5.0

what a magical story, definitely need time to digest this one

cactsus's review against another edition

4.0

dark reflective medium-paced

florsita's review against another edition

4.5

reflective

9jesus_crisis6's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

smilingdionisie's review against another edition

4.0

reflective medium-paced

yolks's review against another edition

4.5

challenging reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Quotes I liked:

“I realize today that nothing in the world is more distasteful to a man to take the path that leads to himself.”
“The realization that my problem was one that concerned all men, a problem of living and thinning, suddenly swept over me and I was overwhelmed by fear and respect as I suddenly saw and felt how deeply my own personal life and opinions were immersed in the eternal stream of great ideas. Though it offered some confirmation and gratification, the realization was not a joyful one. It was hard and had a harsh taste because it implied responsibility and no longer being allowed to be a child; it meant standing on one’s own feet.”
“There are numerous ways in which God can make us lonely and lead us back to ourselves.”
“I wanted only to try to live in accord with the promptings which came from my true self. Why was that so very difficult?”
“But we consist of everything the world consists of, each of us, and just as our body contains the genealogical table of evolution as far back as the fish and even much further, so we must bear everything in our soul that once was alive in the soul of men.”
“… You can treat your drives and so-called temptations with respect and love. Then they will reveal their meaning—and they all do have meaning. If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is a part of yourself. What isn’t a part of ourselves doesn’t disturb us.”
“I had forgotten that the world could still be so lovely. I had grown accustomed to living within myself.”

danielsdasein's review against another edition

5.0

Hesse is the wisest man ever to walk this Earth.

divjotkaur's review against another edition

4.0

challenging reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

It's worth reading about Hesse and his interest in Jungian Psychiatry (and also read up on Jungian Archetype) to understand this book further. In essence, the book is a journey of the inner self through all parts of its conscious, subconscious and unconscious. The writing is most skillful. Mark of a well written book is when you are able to absorb each stage of the character's arc naturally and in the flow of the plot instead of the author having to spell it out or make obvious distinction to where we are at will the character.

I was also excited to connect this with how BTS (a korean music band I grew up listening to) used Demaian and Jungian philosophy to inform themes of a few of their earlier albums.