kdstutzman 's review for:

The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann

4.0

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Four and half stars, really. I can't quite give the book a perfect rating, but I will go as close as I can.... The experience of reading this book was wonderful and absorbing, but there were a few elements that hold it back from perfection: the endless arguments between Naphta and Settembrini, transcribed verbatim; some of the strange, hurried events of the final chapters. But there is much that is extraordinary: the characterization of Hans Castorp; his reserved, tender, delicately rendered relationship with his cousin Joachim; Joachim himself (I ♥ Joachim); Mann's treatment of memory and the passage of time; the beautiful chapter in which Hans skis in the mountains during a snowstorm....