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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
inspiring
slow-paced
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The plot is engaging, but hidden under many chapter-long monologues on the human condition. Singularly monstrous choice by the translator to leave his only conversation with his true love in French.
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Depressing and not my cup of tea. As I am reading all I can think of is people with TB from what I have heard/read usually go some place dry not in the Swiss Alps where it is wet and cold. Having this in mind sort of takes the true meaning of the book lost on me.
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Awful book. Navel-gazing galore. No idea how I got so far.
It is one of those books that I always wanted to read, but the sheer heft of it made me hesitate. I generally try to manage a couple of such books each year, where a tremendous reputation is challenged by a very long length. I'll be honest, sometimes, such gallant attempts end up with me constantly checking the width of the pages that are read to the width of the remainder. Fortunately, this was far from it. In fact, I was sad when the book ended, and I had to leave the strange world of the alpine sanatorium.
From the very first sentence, Mann creates a mesmerizing world around the people who call this sanatorium home. The atmosphere is at once claustrophobic and magical, depressing and hopeful, utterly strange and perfectly normal. It is this surprising ambiguity that makes it one of the most remarkable novels I have read. It is impossible to put my finger on what exactly the author is trying to say. Some people see a clear metaphor of Europe around the great wars. I fail to do so, and I believe that is what makes it a great novel. Yes, it does touch upon that history, but it touches on so many different things. I never believed that novels that can be easily defined can leave a long mark, and this is a great example of that.
Like the great Russian literature, especially Dostoevsky, many of the characters often go into long monologues, trying to establish their philosophical views. This is definitely not realistic, and it takes a while to go past such an intentional style. But soon, as with Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, I accepted it as part of his literary style and accepted it as a device to draw these complex characters and, more importantly, as a device to discuss the philosophical and political debates of its time.
There are two persistent themes running through the book. The first is the place that illness and death hold in defining ourselves and adding meaning to life. The second and most remarkable is the author's meditation about psychological time. He was clearly influenced by the work of Einstein in redefining time and space. He took this scientific view and tried to use it to understand psychological time.
An amazing and memorable experience.
From the very first sentence, Mann creates a mesmerizing world around the people who call this sanatorium home. The atmosphere is at once claustrophobic and magical, depressing and hopeful, utterly strange and perfectly normal. It is this surprising ambiguity that makes it one of the most remarkable novels I have read. It is impossible to put my finger on what exactly the author is trying to say. Some people see a clear metaphor of Europe around the great wars. I fail to do so, and I believe that is what makes it a great novel. Yes, it does touch upon that history, but it touches on so many different things. I never believed that novels that can be easily defined can leave a long mark, and this is a great example of that.
Like the great Russian literature, especially Dostoevsky, many of the characters often go into long monologues, trying to establish their philosophical views. This is definitely not realistic, and it takes a while to go past such an intentional style. But soon, as with Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, I accepted it as part of his literary style and accepted it as a device to draw these complex characters and, more importantly, as a device to discuss the philosophical and political debates of its time.
There are two persistent themes running through the book. The first is the place that illness and death hold in defining ourselves and adding meaning to life. The second and most remarkable is the author's meditation about psychological time. He was clearly influenced by the work of Einstein in redefining time and space. He took this scientific view and tried to use it to understand psychological time.
An amazing and memorable experience.
Meine Bewertung hat sich im Laufe der 900 Seiten ungefähr zwanzigmal geändert - was für ein absoluter Fiebertraum.
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Holy cow, I feel like it took me seven years to read this book! I can't say I would recommend it to anyone. I'm glad I read it, and did enjoy the whole thing, really liking some parts and wanting to throw the book at other parts. But, I am very glad to be done!