Reviews

Nemici. Una storia d'amore by Isaac Bashevis Singer

eddiesheeran's review against another edition

2.0

the story was good but it took me SO LONG to read because i simply disliked EVERY character in this book. the end was a bit sad but idk i‘m glad to be through. i got this for 1€ in a thrift store so it was ok but i wouldn’t reread it i‘m a bit disappointed.

divyareads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

melissafrances's review against another edition

3.0

3.5*

lkateo's review against another edition

4.0

There's quite a few connections into Nietzsche (and Schopenhauer) - eternal return, the unravelling of moral guideposts and social structures, his connection of the comic to the tragic - there's more work I need to do to unpick this novel.

lilyyjade's review against another edition

challenging medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

marey's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

3.25

Bardzo dobra charakteryzacja bohaterów (zwłaszcza Szyfra Pua, Herman, Tamara), duża konsekwencja w ich prezentacji; wiele wplecionych elementów kultury więc bardzo wartościowa pod względem ,,informacyjnym", wyjątkowo trudne do polubienia postaci (momentami nie kibicuje się nikomu), sama historia niesamowita, koniec wydaje się napisany ,,na szybko", część mnie wolałaby aby epilog nie został dodany 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and War

Minor: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse

elianawolfson's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.5

an interesting twist on the classic holocaust-survivor-protagonist, as said protagonist is impossible to root for or sympathise with. made for interesting, reflective literature, but not a particularly enjoyable read. 

eiseneisen's review against another edition

3.0

I should begin by saying that I generally find it difficult to greatly enjoy books that feature characters I personally dislike. Even if I recognize that the writing is excellent and I find the story entertaining, my enjoyment of the book is tamped. This was the case with the very popular and well written book 'The Kite Runner,' and this is the case with Isaac Bashevis Singer's 'Enemies: A Love Story.'

Herman, the protagonist of 'Enemies: A Love Story,' is one of the most internally weak characters I've come across in literature. He is incapable of acting in an honest, forthright, or considerate manner. He is a complete pushover, and quite despicable. He's not my type of guy, and I did not find inhabiting his world to be a particularly pleasant experience. The characters surrounding Herman are not quite as loathsome as he is, but they too are significantly flawed, and behave in ways I found difficult to relate to.

That said, there are elements of this book worth raving about. It should be noted that I am quick to give up on books that I don't like (there are too many good books worth reading to waste time reading bad ones), but I read 'Enemies: A Love Story' through to the end, over a long period of time. I kept coming back to it, because the writing is superb, the scenario is complex and compelling, and because Singer frequently includes observations about human nature and existence that are truly revelatory, that stuck with me, that I found myself pondering hours and days after I had last read the book.

I wouldn't strongly recommend 'Enemies: A Love Story,' but I do intend to read something else by Isaac Bashevis Singer, because his authorial powers made themselves apparent despite my reviling the characters he created.

carmelita's review against another edition

challenging funny reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

shalms's review against another edition

4.0

I read a review of Enemies that noted the significance of shards in the Kabbalah and that it is a simile for Herman’s and the other characters’ shattered lives. That is the perfect simile indeed for the book. Even transplanted to New York City, the characters, especially perhaps Herman, still find a world that is in pieces, that makes no sense post-Holocaust. In fact, even what they find in prosperous, post-war America is senseless to them in its freedom--not freedom in its positive sense but in its lack of a moral, religious framework. Ultimately, Herman’s sense of meaninglessness is what lies at the heart of this book, despite an ending that allows for a small glimmer of light.