Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I was recommended this based on the fact that I like books that mix plot with philosophy but i felt like this was a bit of a slog. Very slow-paced and overly intellectual - there's obviously a lot going on philosophically, but it didn't really grip me. I didn't feel anything about the characters and i didn't feel a motivation to turn the page - not sure that's what Mann was aiming for to be fair - but it didn't feel worth forcing to me.
Det bra asså. Innefattar mycket av det viktigaste ur existensen. Karaktärer bra, miljö bra. Symbolik=mäktig. Gillar Mynheer peeperkorn och hans inställning till livets grundläggande njutningar. Hans storhet och hans miniatyr till mentalitet
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's hard to imagine a coming of age story loaded with this much weight and subtext happening in the 700+ pages of a book with little plot to speak of. But in an isolated, mountaintop sanitorium in Switzerland in the years preceding WWI, young Hans Castorp received his education in ways that were at times confusing, but ultimately rewarding for myself as a reader.
There is so much to unpack with Mann's writing, especially with how he uses the concepts of time and illness to explore Hans's intellectual and spiritual growth. But using Hans Castorp as a metaphor for a Europe on the brink of catastrophe was my favorite part of this journey.
Caught between two characters representing the authoritarian and liberal ideals waging war for the future of Europe, Hans receives this knowledge with an open mind, but no real conviction. His inability to pick a side plays into the ambiguity at the ending of the book, and is ultimately representative of Europe's inability to avoid disaster.
This was a challenging, but rewarding book for me. I've never read anything by Mann before, and I've never read a book quite like this. In many ways, The Magic Mountain represents my own education and journey as I continue to evolve as a reader.
There is so much to unpack with Mann's writing, especially with how he uses the concepts of time and illness to explore Hans's intellectual and spiritual growth. But using Hans Castorp as a metaphor for a Europe on the brink of catastrophe was my favorite part of this journey.
Caught between two characters representing the authoritarian and liberal ideals waging war for the future of Europe, Hans receives this knowledge with an open mind, but no real conviction. His inability to pick a side plays into the ambiguity at the ending of the book, and is ultimately representative of Europe's inability to avoid disaster.
This was a challenging, but rewarding book for me. I've never read anything by Mann before, and I've never read a book quite like this. In many ways, The Magic Mountain represents my own education and journey as I continue to evolve as a reader.
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I kept thinking that footnotes would be so helpful but this book itself is a collection of footnotes
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thomas Mann's "The Magic Mountain" is a monumental achievement in literary modernism, a real mammoth, that rewards patient readers with profound insights, though its deliberate pacing and philosophical density may test some readers' endurance. I made over 120 highlights of the text about twice as many as I have made for any other book.
Set in a tuberculosis sanatorium in the Swiss Alps before World War I, the novel follows Hans Castorp, a young engineer who visits his cousin, Joachim for what was meant to be a three-week stay but ultimately remains for seven years. Through this seemingly simple premise, Mann crafts an extraordinary philosophical novel that uses the sanatorium as a microcosm of pre-war European society and thought.
Mann's prose is exquisite, with meticulous attention to detail and psychological insight that creates a hypnotic reading experience. His ability to weave complex intellectual debates into the narrative—covering topics as diverse as cigars, freemasonry, music, medicine and time itself—demonstrates remarkable erudition without sacrificing the human element of his characters.
The novel's greatest strength lies in its rich character dynamics, particularly the intellectual duel between the humanist Settembrini and the Jesuit nihilist Naphta, who compete for influence over Hans's developing worldview. Through these philosophical battles, Mann explores the central tensions of Western civilization with remarkable prescience about Europe's coming catastrophe.
However, the novel's deliberately slow pace mirrors its exploration of time as a central theme, which means some readers may find sections overly digressive or tedious. Mann's periodic philosophical excursions can occasionally overwhelm the narrative momentum, and certain symbols and motifs might appear heavy-handed to contemporary readers.
Despite these challenges, "The Magic Mountain" remains a vital literary achievement that continues to resonate a century after its publication. Its exploration of how individuals construct meaning in the face of mortality and its examination of a society on the brink of transformation offer insights that feel remarkably relevant to our own uncertain times.
For readers willing to surrender to its unique rhythms and intellectual ambitions, "The Magic Mountain" offers one of literature's most rewarding journeys—a magnificent blend of ideas and artistry that exemplifies why Mann remains among the 20th century's greatest novelists.
Set in a tuberculosis sanatorium in the Swiss Alps before World War I, the novel follows Hans Castorp, a young engineer who visits his cousin, Joachim for what was meant to be a three-week stay but ultimately remains for seven years. Through this seemingly simple premise, Mann crafts an extraordinary philosophical novel that uses the sanatorium as a microcosm of pre-war European society and thought.
Mann's prose is exquisite, with meticulous attention to detail and psychological insight that creates a hypnotic reading experience. His ability to weave complex intellectual debates into the narrative—covering topics as diverse as cigars, freemasonry, music, medicine and time itself—demonstrates remarkable erudition without sacrificing the human element of his characters.
The novel's greatest strength lies in its rich character dynamics, particularly the intellectual duel between the humanist Settembrini and the Jesuit nihilist Naphta, who compete for influence over Hans's developing worldview. Through these philosophical battles, Mann explores the central tensions of Western civilization with remarkable prescience about Europe's coming catastrophe.
However, the novel's deliberately slow pace mirrors its exploration of time as a central theme, which means some readers may find sections overly digressive or tedious. Mann's periodic philosophical excursions can occasionally overwhelm the narrative momentum, and certain symbols and motifs might appear heavy-handed to contemporary readers.
Despite these challenges, "The Magic Mountain" remains a vital literary achievement that continues to resonate a century after its publication. Its exploration of how individuals construct meaning in the face of mortality and its examination of a society on the brink of transformation offer insights that feel remarkably relevant to our own uncertain times.
For readers willing to surrender to its unique rhythms and intellectual ambitions, "The Magic Mountain" offers one of literature's most rewarding journeys—a magnificent blend of ideas and artistry that exemplifies why Mann remains among the 20th century's greatest novelists.
