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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
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.
medium-paced
challenging
mysterious
relaxing
slow-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
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
reflective
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
I liked a number of the stories, but found that reading them in this collected format was not great. It’s interesting to see Mann continue to explore a concept, but it gets a little repetitive to read them in this context. I don’t recommend reading start to finish, but rather, reading one and then giving it a couple of days (a good one to read while also reading another book!).
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I found these stories so morbid and depressing that I could not finish the book, something so rare for me. I guess he is not my style.
When I first read this book, I was sixteen years old, and although I loved the writing, I didn't know what to make of the plot. I couldn't quite wrap my head around the relationship between the old man and the young boy. Even though I read it again years later, I still found the plot disconcerting, but I can still appreciate the beautiful story telling behind it.