1.93k reviews for:

Kairos

Jenny Erpenbeck

3.47 AVERAGE

logical_folly's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

lislbelt's review against another edition

2.5

dark reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

callletterblues's review against another edition

2.5

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

numbers_reads's review against another edition

4.0

challenging informative reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

briannareadsbooks's review against another edition

3.0

slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I really didn't mind the beginning of this book. It was giving Call Me By Your Name and Conversations with Friends vibes at the beginning, but it quickly turned in a very different direction and I see it compared a bit more to My Dark Vanessa, which is accurate. 

I know I for sure didn't understand a large part of this book. The artistic, literary, and musical language flew right over my head. I also don't know much about the GDR and this era in German history, so I was definitely lost.

But the second half of the book just bored me. I thought it was interesting to see how these two characters reacted to the fall of the Berlin Wall, as their lives were changing right before their eyes. But I also see online that the author is being accused of Ostalgie and this book isn't well-received in Germany?

I don't know how to feel, honestly.  

baizil_nut's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH

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I might go back and try to finish it because it’s had such good reviews, but I was really forcing myself to continue. I hated that the main relationship was between a woman who was barely an adult and a married father in his 50s. The writing was too austere for my personal taste, but I appreciated the historical details of life behind the Berlin Wall. Would’ve loved it to be more of an exploration of that period of history without the icky power imbalanced relationship- but that’s just my personal preference.

robatk's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

joaura's review against another edition

4.5

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

dh_'s review against another edition

4.0

dark reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

isabelsophiex's review against another edition

3.0

dark mysterious