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A review by meadowlarked
Beware of Pity by Stefan Zweig
4.5
This is a really good book about the dangers of pity, especially if one isn’t selfless enough to commit to the consequences. It is both fascinating and excruciating to watch Anton, led by his pity, fall deeper and deeper into a rabbit hole of lies and false hope, all for the sake of a poor paralyzed girl who he doesn’t truly love. I’d never really understood the phrase, “the road to hell is paved with good intentions,” but Beware of Pity does a great job of showing just how damning those good intentions can be when they lead to deception.
The writing in this book is very good, which ironically may have caused me to enjoy it less. Zweig is able to make the reader really feel all of Anton’s anxieties and fears, to the point where I had to take multiple breaks while reading just to escape out of his mind for a little while. My friends and family will know just how frustrated I was every time Anton would make an ill-considered decision because he wasn’t strong enough to resist his pity and tell the truth. It’s a testament to the good writing and strong characters — particularly Dr. Condor, who is a fantastic foil to Anton — that I was able to push through.
Beware of Pity isn’t a lighthearted read by any means, but I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys stories that have strong writing and meaningful messages.
The writing in this book is very good, which ironically may have caused me to enjoy it less. Zweig is able to make the reader really feel all of Anton’s anxieties and fears, to the point where I had to take multiple breaks while reading just to escape out of his mind for a little while. My friends and family will know just how frustrated I was every time Anton would make an ill-considered decision because he wasn’t strong enough to resist his pity and tell the truth. It’s a testament to the good writing and strong characters — particularly Dr. Condor, who is a fantastic foil to Anton — that I was able to push through.
Beware of Pity isn’t a lighthearted read by any means, but I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys stories that have strong writing and meaningful messages.