A review by jess_mango
Cat and Mouse by Günter Grass

3.0

This is the first book that I've read by Günter Grass. The central character in this book is Joachim Mahlke, who we first meet as a teenager. He stands out from his peers due to an overly prominent Adam's Apple. (the mouse) His peers and society in general (the cat) are constantly "chasing" him...teasing, etc. The novel is narrated by one of Mahlke's peers Pilenz who tells the story from his memory so things are often told in a foggy-sort of way. As such, he's an unreliable narrator.

The novel brings us up through the time of WWII. At it's heart, this novel is about the impact of the war and the looming threat of it over society and young men coming of age knowing they will most likely be sent to the front lines.

I rate this somewhere between 3 and 3.5 stars.