A review by wisteriaearl
While We Were Dreaming by Clemens Meyer

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. 


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