Reviews

Draußen vor der Tür by Wolfgang Borchert

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eininthebird's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

thegingerbreadhag's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad fast-paced

4.5

I bought this book for a class, cancelled the class and left the book accumulating 2 years worth of dust on my shelves before picking it up, trying to decide whether to keep it or give it away. I'm glad I decided to read it. It's a crazy emotional and frustrating book. Emotional because the main character is a German soldier coming back home after spending 3 years as a soldier in Russia. Everything has changed, he has no home or homeland, he's just a living ghost. Contemplating suicide, the Other, God, and the Young Woman are trying to convince him that life is worth living.

Frustrating because the dialogues aren't dialogue : looking for hope, he only finds closed doors, indifferent people and guiltless military officers who have no answer for the countless deaths, the main character's need for help, for his need of understanding war and its terror. Both murderers and murdered men, both alive and dead or dying, the answer is nothing. No one has one, because nothing can be said in the face of war's aftermath. The play leave us wondering what good is hope when we're confronted to useless massive deaths, nightmares, disenchantment and estrangement. What good is hope in front of the close doors of people that are just trying to get on living ? And what happens when you can't go on living ?

Simply gutwrenching.

evrwhat's review against another edition

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tense fast-paced

4.5

paulxavier's review against another edition

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emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

tom_beggerow's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

3.5

livampiz's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

mathildur's review against another edition

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4.0

I really like this book. I hope to reread it after further increasing my language competence in German! A genuisly written play about a soldier returning from war, to an unrecognizable life that offers no sympathy, and only closed doors.