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dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The book is supposed to track the development of the lovers' relationship and the state's history simultaneously but arguably fails at the task. Yet, the strongest parts of the book are where the relationship is played out with the historic events at the backgroud.
The narrative middle was very hard to get through. The relationship got very dark and violent and even having finished the book I am not sure what role that played. Hans character is deeply dislikable and hard to emphasise with. The book finished on the strong note, though.
The narrative middle was very hard to get through. The relationship got very dark and violent and even having finished the book I am not sure what role that played. Hans character is deeply dislikable and hard to emphasise with. The book finished on the strong note, though.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship
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:
Yes
I was excited to read this to get a view on what day to day life was like in East Germany in the 1980s. This aspect of the book was certainly interesting, but I disliked the characters from very near the start. Then halfway through, an event caused one character to double down on his toxic traits, and it became unintentionally a horror story. He was the narcissistic, substantially older member of a relationship with his much younger mistress, and exploited the power dynamic in multiple ways. The book didn’t really highlight this as problematic, or redeem the situation in any way. Just an unpleasant read overall.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Alcohol
challenging
dark
sad
slow-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
I don’t think it was necessary to the plot or characters to have the main male be so abusive. The sexual violence, physical assault, and emotional abuse was difficult and disgusting. I would not recommend this book, even if it tangentially shows how Berlin’s reunification progressed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
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:
Complicated
Puuuuhh, für dieses Werk, für das die Autorin Jenny Erpenbeck im April den International Booker Prize erhalten hat, habe ich fast 4 Wochen benötigt. Gestartet mit dem Hörbuch bin ich Recht schnell umgeschwenkt auf das gedruckte Buch, da ich Passagen teilweise mehrmals gelesen habe und auch wirklich viel angestrichen habe.
Aber es hat sich gelohnt.
Die Erzählung startet im Jahr 1986 in Ost-Berlin, die 19-jährige Katharina verliebt sich in den 34 Jahre älteren verheirateten Hans, mit dem sie eine Liebesaffäre beginnt, die sehr schnell sehr toxisch wird, aber dennoch parallel zur untergehenden DDR bis ins Jahr 1992 anhält.
Jenny Erpenbeck hat einen gewöhnungsbedürftigen, aber dennoch großartigen Schreibstil, die Personen und ihr Innenleben werden sehr gut gezeichnet, man fühlt sehr die Atmosphäre der Wendezeit und gewinnt einen guten Eindruck, wie sich die Menschen damals gefühlt haben, die mehr oder minder lange die DDR und, wie Hans, noch in Teilen, die Nazi -Zeit erlebt haben.
Das Buch ist anstrengend und anspruchsvoll zugleich, auf jeden Fall keine leichte Kost. Dennoch: Absolute Leseempfehlung für alle, die sich darauf einlassen wollen.
Aber es hat sich gelohnt.
Die Erzählung startet im Jahr 1986 in Ost-Berlin, die 19-jährige Katharina verliebt sich in den 34 Jahre älteren verheirateten Hans, mit dem sie eine Liebesaffäre beginnt, die sehr schnell sehr toxisch wird, aber dennoch parallel zur untergehenden DDR bis ins Jahr 1992 anhält.
Jenny Erpenbeck hat einen gewöhnungsbedürftigen, aber dennoch großartigen Schreibstil, die Personen und ihr Innenleben werden sehr gut gezeichnet, man fühlt sehr die Atmosphäre der Wendezeit und gewinnt einen guten Eindruck, wie sich die Menschen damals gefühlt haben, die mehr oder minder lange die DDR und, wie Hans, noch in Teilen, die Nazi -Zeit erlebt haben.
Das Buch ist anstrengend und anspruchsvoll zugleich, auf jeden Fall keine leichte Kost. Dennoch: Absolute Leseempfehlung für alle, die sich darauf einlassen wollen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Gaslighting
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Abortion
challenging
dark
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
I'm giving it 3 stars because it was well written and a good insight into an abusive and toxic relationship, but I can't say I enjoyed reading it.
It felt quite relentless to me, in the early chapters I was alienated by the main characters obsessive romanticising of their relationship. As it progressed, I just felt increasingly uncomfortable with the power dynamic and desperate for Katharina to get free. I had far less sympathy for Hans, but I also wanted him to just cut his losses. It was stifling. I was baf led by the blurb and "read this book" quotes that implied fault on both sides. I thought it was very clear that Hans was grooming and abusing Katharina from a position of far more authority and whilst she made poor choices, she was very much the victim.
The blurb also suggested it was an allegory for the political situation in East Germany at the time. I did find the sections on living under the communist regime and through reunification interesting. They're not the focus of the story though.
The epilogue didn't have much impact on me.
It felt quite relentless to me, in the early chapters I was alienated by the main characters obsessive romanticising of their relationship. As it progressed, I just felt increasingly uncomfortable with the power dynamic and desperate for Katharina to get free. I had far less sympathy for Hans, but I also wanted him to just cut his losses. It was stifling. I was baf led by the blurb and "read this book" quotes that implied fault on both sides. I thought it was very clear that Hans was grooming and abusing Katharina from a position of far more authority and whilst she made poor choices, she was very much the victim.
The blurb also suggested it was an allegory for the political situation in East Germany at the time. I did find the sections on living under the communist regime and through reunification interesting. They're not the focus of the story though.
The epilogue didn't have much impact on me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Abortion, War
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Beautiful writing style but a very hard read - deserving of the international booker prize nonetheless. However, for reading this you definitely need to understand the context of setting and time - the impending fall of the GDR. Even as a GDR/German language nerd, a lot of the references to the 80s, classics, music, academia etc went over my head. I wish I could have connected more to the book but this isn’t the fault of the book, apart from some of the niche and perhaps inaccessible cultural references.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
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
Excellent! Social criticism at its best. Took off 0.5 stars because the language and scenes are quite crude and violent at times, and I'm getting increasingly sensitive to that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual content, Police brutality, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Blood, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Car accident