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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I feel like this book had everything to become an incredible read. The obsessive irrationally attraction that develops into an affair, the slow creep of inequality, manipulation and abuse that very big gaps in age can bring and ultimately the parallel between a decaying social regime and a relationship that no longer serves you (and perhaps never has).. However, I did not like reading it. The writing style is a bit to obnoxious, the characters feel flat and even inside their head I don’t really understand them. I get what the book was trying to do, I just didn’t like the execution.
Confusing style of writing specifically with dialogue. I was never sure who was saying or thinking what and I had to reread several parts to understand the situation. It was also heavy on German history with no background or explanation for those readers that are not knowledgeable in German history. Together these two factors made it frustrating to read.
I respect this book but reading it wasn’t always a pleasure. Interesting historical context but an uncomfortable (that’s putting it mildly) dynamic between the characters made it challenging to enjoy.
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol
Minor: War
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
I thought I would like this a lot more than I did. I think perhaps I just couldn’t get out of the ongoing abuse and just shut treatment of Katherine by Hans that I literally sped read the second half of the book and think I need to go back and reread. Usually I love this era and the fall of totalitarian regimes but I will have to say I couldn’t really get into this one. It felt like Katherina just sort of grew apart from Hans instead of gaining her own independence which I guess is maybe a little reflective of history and all that metaphorical jazz. I’m not sure!
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Not at all surprised to find Erpenbeck’s writing (heavily influenced by her ‘privileged’ East German upbringing) is often subject to endless moralising within her country, lest her readers ever forget what became of GDR in the end.
Either way, I expected this to be an intense read, bloated with exhaustive references to a contentious period of time, and it hit a lot harder that I thought.
Either way, I expected this to be an intense read, bloated with exhaustive references to a contentious period of time, and it hit a lot harder that I thought.
This was (I think) my first German-translated book. I was so excited to read it—the orange cover really got me—but as usual, it's never available in local bookstores here in the Philippines, so I went to Libby and put a hold on it. It took months of waiting—and it was... okay.
I like the writing of this book. I mean, some stories are meant to be in this medium. I love how the words fit together, like reading a good setting and all that. I thought this could never be done in film. I think I expected too much, and now, I feel somehow distraught because in some ways, this story has been told before, and I read others that are more gripping.
I like the writing of this book. I mean, some stories are meant to be in this medium. I love how the words fit together, like reading a good setting and all that. I thought this could never be done in film. I think I expected too much, and now, I feel somehow distraught because in some ways, this story has been told before, and I read others that are more gripping.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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:
Complicated