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thebobsphere's review against another edition
1.0
It’s inevitable that when reading a shortlist, one cannot like every book. Well here’s my stinker.
While we were Dreaming is every type of awful one can imagine: Dialogue, plot, characters – EVERYTHING. I will say it right now
I HATED this book
I will say it again
I HATED this book.
The novel focuses on group of teenagers during the fall of the Berlin Wall – we also get glimpses of their childhood pre unification. This post life consists of:
Looking at porn mags
Talking about breasts – ON NEARLY EVERY SINGLE PAGE
Stealing from old people
and a countless number of fistfights and drug scoring
repeat cycle for 600 pages. Plus it’s all in Kerouacian slang ARGH
I understand that Meyer is portraying a type of mentality and social situation caused by so called freedom but to read the same thing over and over and over again is mind numbingly boring plus the constant sexism got to me. Yes you like boobs and looking up skirts. Fine but do we have to talk about it all the time.
However there is one semi redeeming factor and that’s the chapter about one character trying to use a microwave but even that is spoiled because all the narrator cares about is the porn mag his friend’s dad smuggles and the whole talk descends to mammary gland discourses!!
If this is a portrait of post wall society, then Berlin must have made Caligula’s Rome seem like some kind of saint’s palace.
Never has a book managed to make me so angry, bored and irritated at the same time.
I will repeat a third time.
I HATE this book.
While we were Dreaming is every type of awful one can imagine: Dialogue, plot, characters – EVERYTHING. I will say it right now
I HATED this book
I will say it again
I HATED this book.
The novel focuses on group of teenagers during the fall of the Berlin Wall – we also get glimpses of their childhood pre unification. This post life consists of:
Looking at porn mags
Talking about breasts – ON NEARLY EVERY SINGLE PAGE
Stealing from old people
and a countless number of fistfights and drug scoring
repeat cycle for 600 pages. Plus it’s all in Kerouacian slang ARGH
I understand that Meyer is portraying a type of mentality and social situation caused by so called freedom but to read the same thing over and over and over again is mind numbingly boring plus the constant sexism got to me. Yes you like boobs and looking up skirts. Fine but do we have to talk about it all the time.
However there is one semi redeeming factor and that’s the chapter about one character trying to use a microwave but even that is spoiled because all the narrator cares about is the porn mag his friend’s dad smuggles and the whole talk descends to mammary gland discourses!!
If this is a portrait of post wall society, then Berlin must have made Caligula’s Rome seem like some kind of saint’s palace.
Never has a book managed to make me so angry, bored and irritated at the same time.
I will repeat a third time.
I HATE this book.
gracecashxx's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
eleanorbean's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
heyfarahey's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nooriehussain's review against another edition
i found this book incredibly slow, and honestly too convoluted at parts. i had high hopes for this book, and was excited to read it, yet found myself quite disappointed and let down by the pace and lack of character connection.
e_f_p21's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
regankj's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
thepoisonwoodreader's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
rat_reads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
wisteriaearl's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The story is told in a non-linear vignette style. It's a unique style and Meyer writes very distinctively. The characters talk and think like teenagers from pre-German Reunification. He also portrays the poverty in the poorer regions of Lelpzig well. The setting was well established but I found the characters rather weak. Especially the supporting characters who felt one-note and barely serviceable.
I found it difficult to get attached to the main characters because it felt like I didn't really know them. It's strange because the length of the novel warrants an understanding. But I didn't get the "bond" these boys had with each other. There wasn't a chapter where I felt like I understood their friendship.
I recognized the themes Meyer was trying to portray but his portrayal didn't resonate with me. It was episodic and feelings didn't linger with each chapter. Things were happening in the story but there was no weight to it. They felt so fleeting.
I found it difficult to get attached to the main characters because it felt like I didn't really know them. It's strange because the length of the novel warrants an understanding. But I didn't get the "bond" these boys had with each other. There wasn't a chapter where I felt like I understood their friendship.
I recognized the themes Meyer was trying to portray but his portrayal didn't resonate with me. It was episodic and feelings didn't linger with each chapter. Things were happening in the story but there was no weight to it. They felt so fleeting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Misogyny
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Fatphobia