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spam_jordz's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
100reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
A masterpiece. I love coming of age stories.
juliakudla's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
sanrodsara's review against another edition
1.0
I genuinely have no idea what I just read. From the lack of structure to the multitude of characters, this book (novella?) just made no sense to me. Good for you if you like it though!
jessrock's review against another edition
4.0
Somewhere or other I heard that Belle & Sebastian's song "Hurley's Having Dreams" (or at least the line about Hurley dreaming of being a horse in Czechoslovakia) was based on this book, although having read it, I can't for the life of me figure out why. The narrator sits on a dead horse at one point, and there's a minor character who shows up on a horse at another, but that's about it. The story is about a railroad apprentice in Czechoslovakia during the time of WWII. He's depressed, recently attempted suicide, and fears that he's not a real man because he wasn't able to get it on with his ladyfriend the one time that they tried. Owing to a moment of "sexual euphoria," he ends up confronting a train full of Nazis. It was interesting, very understated, and very very short (more of a novella than a novel I suppose). I wasn't blown away by it, but I read about another Hrabal novel on Amazon that sounds really interesting (Too Loud a Solitude) and I'd really like to check that one out sometime soon.
mathenora's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
aqrio's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
tboro's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
ipb1's review against another edition
4.0
This punches above its weight. Brief, absurd, funny, and grim.