Reviews

Mendelssohn Is on the Roof by Jiří Weil

Only show reviews with written explanations

millen13's review against another edition

4.0

I never heard of this book or this writer, which is a shame because it is every bit as powerful as an Anne Frank or the like. Set in Prague during the occupation, the story starts off satirical with scenes about silly and stupid people who help the Germans. During the course of the story, the silly business ends and tragedy takes over. The plot follows a cast of people in some way connected to the initial confusion of the Mendelssohn statue problem and leads you through haunting scenes caused by occupier brutality.

estacer's review

Go to review page

4.0

Many story lines only loosely tied together at various points. All are interesting though few are straight-forward. Not a typical WWII Holocaust or Nazi novel. Also doesn't really tie any story up with a bow.

richardwells's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

A perspective of the occupation of Prague and the Holocaust that shines a light on the absurdity of oppression while not letting up on its horror. I had occasion to think of Catch 22 at a few points. An interesting and worthwhile read.

scarpuccia's review

Go to review page

5.0

When Reinhard Heydrich attends a concert in Prague he is incensed when he sees a statue of the Jewish composer Mendelssohn on the roof and orders it be destroyed. Thus the novel begins and will enter the minds and lives of the various people who are directly and indirectly involved in the saga of the statue. Initially no one can work out which of the many statues is Mendelssohn. Consensus is it must be the one with the biggest nose. However, this is Wagner, the Third Reich's favourite composer. It's a brilliant mockery of the mindless insanity of racial hatred.

The novel has no central character. It aims at giving the big picture of life in Prague during the Nazi occupation. We get the perspectives of both the persecutors and the persecuted. It's written as if everything that happens is normal - there's none of the hyperbole language of many modern holocaust novels. Jifi Weil lived through these times and there's an authenticity about his vision which is both satirical and cynical. I was thoroughly captivated throughout. A fabulous achievement.