Scan barcode
garrett_schaffs's review
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
ferociablejbear's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
bole1709's review against another edition
3.0
Slično kao i u knjizi Palata snova, ponovo je Kadare bio jako blizu da me kupi i ponovo nije uspeo. Nisam siguran u šta da uperim prst, ali fali mi to nešto jako jako sitno kako bih stvarno zavoleo Kadarea i njegova dela.
Čitajući ovu knjigu, imao sam osećaj kao da sve ide ka nekom vrhuncu, kako će se svaka od epizoda koje se nižu, svaki i najmanji detalj spojiti u jednom iznenađenju, obrtu na samome kraju do kog, nažalost, nije došlo. Samo me ostavilo razočaranog. Zanimljivo je prikazan život u Albaniji, običaji, odnosi prema strancima i bivšim neprijateljima kao i pogled iz ugla jednog stranca, Italijana. Sve je to super, ali niti ima neke preterane radnje, niti obrta, samo epizode koje bez obrta ostaju upravo to, skup epizoda.
Dok Palata snova neodoljivo podseća na Andrićevo delo i iznenađujuće spominje bitku na Kosovu, u Generalu mrtve armije se pojavljuje Alija Đerzelez što pokazuje uticaj naše književnosti na Kadareovo stvaralaštvo.
Čitajući ovu knjigu, imao sam osećaj kao da sve ide ka nekom vrhuncu, kako će se svaka od epizoda koje se nižu, svaki i najmanji detalj spojiti u jednom iznenađenju, obrtu na samome kraju do kog, nažalost, nije došlo. Samo me ostavilo razočaranog. Zanimljivo je prikazan život u Albaniji, običaji, odnosi prema strancima i bivšim neprijateljima kao i pogled iz ugla jednog stranca, Italijana. Sve je to super, ali niti ima neke preterane radnje, niti obrta, samo epizode koje bez obrta ostaju upravo to, skup epizoda.
Dok Palata snova neodoljivo podseća na Andrićevo delo i iznenađujuće spominje bitku na Kosovu, u Generalu mrtve armije se pojavljuje Alija Đerzelez što pokazuje uticaj naše književnosti na Kadareovo stvaralaštvo.
pearloz's review against another edition
4.0
Loved this book, love the concept--an Italian General and regimen sent to recover the bodies of Italian soldiers that died during the WWII invasion of Albania. The writing is spare and precise and makes the plot even more stark. The anecdotes related to the General were also startling--in particular the story of the brothel. And the final climactic scene at the wedding--with old lady Nice showing up with a literal bag of bones--was simultaneously beautiful and distressing.
lizi_e's review
challenging
dark
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
ajkhn's review
5.0
I've read a lot of Kadare at this point, and I'm starting to wonder if there has ever been a sunny day in Albania. This book is very similar to The Siege, in that it's about war, it's brutality, and its aftermath. The plot, following an Italian general 20 years after World War II, really goes in to the guts of how war affects small towns, in both Italy and Albania.
The growing creepiness of the plot reminds me of some of Roberto Bolano's short stories and Marcin Wrona's film The Demon. By the time you meet the one-armed German (?) general, you know things are about to get very awful, very quickly.
Kadare does a great job managing the pacing of the book to build a couple different crescendoes — once you think you're safe, it gets a bit more terrifying by the end. Not in a full-out horror way, but again in a magical-realist, unsettling, sort of way. I really enjoyed this book, and if you want to read a World War II book that's less about heroism and more about devastation, it's for you as well.
The growing creepiness of the plot reminds me of some of Roberto Bolano's short stories and Marcin Wrona's film The Demon. By the time you meet the one-armed German (?) general, you know things are about to get very awful, very quickly.
Kadare does a great job managing the pacing of the book to build a couple different crescendoes — once you think you're safe, it gets a bit more terrifying by the end. Not in a full-out horror way, but again in a magical-realist, unsettling, sort of way. I really enjoyed this book, and if you want to read a World War II book that's less about heroism and more about devastation, it's for you as well.
libronika's review
2.0
I was expecting something better. The publisher's description was way more exciting compared to the actual story. A reader can easily spot a biblical style inspiration, where characters and locations are symbolical and archetypal. In the end, the story lack depth which is a shame considering the subject of The General of the Dead Army.