2.02k reviews for:

Kairos

Jenny Erpenbeck

3.46 AVERAGE

bexy913's review against another edition

4.0

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3.75 rounding up.

Took me forever to read this, as too many books for book club kept calling my attention, and this is more of a read for its beauty than a page turning plot.

I should insert better words here about parallels between relationship and the dissolution of the GDR, and how perhaps the middle dragged and suffered but so did the slow collapse, but that’s an edit for another day

livrj's review against another edition

3.5

challenging emotional tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

elena_edstrom's review against another edition

3.5

medium-paced

harry_mcwhirter's review against another edition

3.25

challenging emotional reflective medium-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: Yes

marni_rose's review against another edition

3.0

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like a series of mirrors reflecting realities that are each bleaker than the last. this is objectively a good book, it’s clever and has moments of gut-punchy prose. it’s also gratuitous and incredibly hard work, in places it’s pretentious, heavy handed, and boring. it is also hard to understand and the characters are so two dimensional that it lacks any kind of hook to pull you in which i found made me so not inclined to pick it up. the political context is spoken about in a way that’s interesting, but not accessible, it kind of feels like you need to be an expert on german/communist politics to get any sense of understanding of what’s going on, because it’s written in a way that’s so sparse and lacks context and explanation. i think bleakness was the intention, and given the subject matter that makes a lot of sense, but it doesn’t make for a particularly enjoyable reading experience

electonic_ocelot's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

floortje_fauna's review against another edition

2.5

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Not for me. The historical setting in east Berlin was interesting, especially what happened after the wall fell. I hated how

the couple kept getting back together even though they were terrible together, but apparently it's a metaphor I didn't get.

also, so many references that weren't explained and made it seem like I had too little context to understand this novel.

justine_desmet's review against another edition

4.5

emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

d_clemente's review against another edition

3.75

challenging informative sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

sengen1910's review against another edition

1.5

slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: N/A

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No