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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was my first read of Joseph Roth's but his final book. Drawing on the author's own life, this novella takes the life of a lowly alcoholic homeless man and takes us through a series of extraordinary 'miracles', happenings that proceed to raise his fortune and his standing in life, only to see it lost and won over again.
This was simply written and had an almost fable-like quality to it. There were simplistic illustrations at the beginning of each chapter that added to this kind of fairytale atmosphere. The feeling I got throughout was similar to that of the Nikolai Gogol stories I have read, and maybe even Kafka.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this story, though the ending was disappointing, and I will look to read more Joseph Roth in the future.
This was simply written and had an almost fable-like quality to it. There were simplistic illustrations at the beginning of each chapter that added to this kind of fairytale atmosphere. The feeling I got throughout was similar to that of the Nikolai Gogol stories I have read, and maybe even Kafka.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this story, though the ending was disappointing, and I will look to read more Joseph Roth in the future.
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I absolutely loved this!!!! It has such great humanity. I finished the last sentence with a smile
Strange meandering tale of a Parisian hobo, who has numerous strikes of good luck, but keeps being side-tracked by his desire to drink from doing the right thing. Style is interesting: ornate yet detached. It reads like a modern fable--or "legend".
This autobiographical novella reads like a 20th century fable. The protagonist, Andreas Karnak, is a Polish immigrant in Paris who has been through rough times and is now an alcoholic who lives on the streets. A stranger lends him two hundred francs, which he fails to return despite his best intentions. Andreas is a tragic and flawed yet dignified figure, who is a "saint" because he seems to live in the world without ever actually being part of it. His simplicity makes him appreciate "miracles" which more fortunate citizens simply miss.