Reviews

Copenhagen by Michael Frayn

stevywevo's review against another edition

challenging informative mysterious reflective tense 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

3.0

courtneyjoyzanetti's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This was a favorite in college, when I sometimes felt smarter than I do now, but I still loved being challenged by this play. And more now than before, I can relate to finding yourself the hardest variable to nail down

spiderfly's review against another edition

4.0

Very enjoyable play to read. It's been forever since I've read any plays.

spazio_per_storie's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

È raro che una pièce teatrale mi faccia commuovere. È ancor più raro che a farmi commuovere sia una storia di meccanica quantistica. Perché, per quanto si possa discutere sul fatto che Copenaghen di M. Frayn non parli di fisica, in realtà lo fa (e bene). E gli sarò sempre grato per questo.
La trama principale è il parallelismo tra il principio di indeterminazione di Heisenberg e la vita di Heisenberg stesso, il quale cerca al contempo di avanzare il progresso scientifico e l'identità nazionale tedesca durante la seconda guerra mondiale, al contempo cercando di evitare la realizzazione della bomba atomica da parte dell'esercito nazista. La storia è stupenda, la resa delle ambiguità morali dei personaggi anche di più.

oriol1023's review against another edition

4.0

Curta, fa hipótesis sobre una conversa sobre la bomba nuclear, interesant.

johnr's review against another edition

5.0

A brilliant five star read that I happened to stumble upon. I hadn't known that there was a Neils Bohr- Heisenberg meeting in Copenhagen in 1942, the minutiae of which is still under speculation. The two had a father-son relationship before German tanks took over Bohrs' Danish towns. Despite the exile of several scientists from Germany (Einstein, Pauli, Wolfgang), Heisenberg stays on and leads the German science program. This book is in fact a speculative play where the ghosts of Heisenberg, Bohr and Bohr's wife discuss and try to recollect what they discussed then. Bohrs' apparent misunderstanding and reading of Heisenberg's speculations of an atomic bomb as boasts while Heisenberg attempts to explain that he was cautiously trying to obtain a false consensus that could delay the German effort at creating the bomb. Fearing the Gestapo's surveillance, neither could communicate clearly enough and this gap is fictitiously (and quite impressively) being filled in this work. At the heart of it all, is the uncertainty principle and the unraveling of its moral and philosophical ramifications - that of not being able to determine what is the right action to take at any juncture in life -, experienced by the one who discovered it himself. Brilliantly penned, the movie is on my to watch list next.

sandropology's review against another edition

2.0

For me, personally, I think Frayn should have portrayed the character’s personalities in more depth. Since he talks about physics and quantum mechanics so much, he kind of loses track of what I would be expecting to get from a play. Although we have lots of communication I feel that there’s actually very little said in this play.

arvenig's review against another edition

3.0

I didn't love it, but I think it's a great book for its genre. I would definitely recommend this if you like to read plays and you like science!

emlickliter's review against another edition

informative reflective slow-paced

3.0

Copenhagen by Michael Frayn - Honestly, the science was cool. The characters were flawed, but interesting. It was just a bit slow. I bet its better performed! Happy Reading! 

genorgana's review against another edition

5.0

Mesmerizing.