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retroarmadillo's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
siria's review against another edition
2.0
I'm ambivalent about this one. Perhaps it was the translation I was reading (I think I have the actual Der Tod in Venedig in the house somewhere, but frankly I couldn't face literary German at the moment), but I never really felt at ease when reading this. Not because of any of the themes that Mann tackled, or because of the denseness of the work; they were challenging and thought-provoking aspects, of course, but I found myself able to grapple with them.
What unnerved me was the way in which all the protagonists seemed to be so utterly detached from society, while at the same time being so changed, so warped, so created by its conventions. I suppose this is in part because Mann was so heavily influenced by Nietzche, and I have really never liked Nietzche. There was no part of me which felt able to connect to the characters. Von Aschenbach in 'Death in Venice' left me unmoved; the eponymous Tonio Kroger did manage to move me, but only to the extent that I wanted to smack him over the head for his pretentiousness.
When it comes down to style and elegance and observation, I can certainly appreciate Mann's achievement. I just can't like him as a writer.
What unnerved me was the way in which all the protagonists seemed to be so utterly detached from society, while at the same time being so changed, so warped, so created by its conventions. I suppose this is in part because Mann was so heavily influenced by Nietzche, and I have really never liked Nietzche. There was no part of me which felt able to connect to the characters. Von Aschenbach in 'Death in Venice' left me unmoved; the eponymous Tonio Kroger did manage to move me, but only to the extent that I wanted to smack him over the head for his pretentiousness.
When it comes down to style and elegance and observation, I can certainly appreciate Mann's achievement. I just can't like him as a writer.
roakapple's review against another edition
2.0
A parade of reductive dichotomies. The "disease" of artistry that cannot be understood by anyone but the "ill" is a total joke and, while Mann takes the mickey out of many of his protagonists, he doesn't stand on the right side of history consistently enough to be anything but insufferable. The title story is naturally the highlight and most of the rest is offensive juvenilia. His descriptions of music (sometimes, the complete act of an opera) are so overwrought and factually uninformed that I felt embarrassed for him, especially considering that I am the target audience of big, long stories about Wagner and the like. Tonio Kröger is another highlight, displaying a subversion of some of these problems in addition to an evocative sense of alienation (instead of an infuriatingly cringy one).
Lots of typos in this edition including "long," in the place of a dash on page 177. Compare with pg 244. What was this, verbally dictated?
Lots of typos in this edition including "long," in the place of a dash on page 177. Compare with pg 244. What was this, verbally dictated?
heartsneedle's review against another edition
4.0
4.5/5
Beauty, Obsession
“The light waned, the death motif sank down with a strange, suddenly overcast timbre, and hasty and impatient yearning fluttered its white veil toward the beloved, who came through the darkness, approaching desire with outspread arms.”
Pros:
-- endings subverted expectations
Cons:
-- some stories did nothing more than provide a twist
Beauty, Obsession
“The light waned, the death motif sank down with a strange, suddenly overcast timbre, and hasty and impatient yearning fluttered its white veil toward the beloved, who came through the darkness, approaching desire with outspread arms.”
Pros:
-- endings subverted expectations
Cons:
-- some stories did nothing more than provide a twist
petralopopolo's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
quoththegirl's review against another edition
2.0
An interesting and thoroughgoing German experience, even if it is in translation. Brings back all sorts of memories from German philosophy and the Love and Death classes. I wish I were in a class like that now so we could hash out all our theories and figure out the layers of meaning.
jackieeh's review against another edition
4.0
Whoa, man. Basically every aspect of this was laid out for me at one point or another, and I read it on a plane. Yet, despite both these things, I found this weirdly shocking and moving.
randalm's review against another edition
3.0
It took me a few pages to warm up to this classic. The main character is a bit smug about his status and accomplishments. To refresh his writing, he goes to Venice where he becomes obsessed with a 14 year-old boy. There’s some lovely language in praise of beauty and lofty ideas that I found intriguing some of the time and wan and detached other times. Still, the good far outweighs the bad in this novella.