Reviews

Transit by Anna Seghers

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mishasw's review against another edition

4.0

Another banger from the civilian ww2 era. Very similar in its vibe to Balcony in the Forest, All for Nothing, and I assume the Tartan Steppe. This genre is hard to read; pretty dark, especially the German lit from this era. The sense of loss and confusion is shocking. Hard to even conceptualize what living in these times was like. :(

andysoto's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious slow-paced

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

3.25

spadeano's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective tense 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

4.0

foggy_rosamund's review against another edition

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3.0

Written in the 1940s, following Seghers' flight from Germany to Mexico, this novel is narrated by a nameless narrator in Marseilles, who is one of thousands of refugees desperately fleeing Europe. Essentially, this is a novel about the cruelty of bureaucracy: terrified people are frantically trying to obtain visas and travel permits from one country after another, and being refused mainly for technicalities. The novel shows the fear and hopelessness of being a refugee, and the inhumanity of government officials who will not help those who are fleeing for their lives. It feels brutally relevant to Europe today. While the style is stilted at times and the characterisations rather flat, I found the novel compelling and important.