A review by trin
Death in Venice: And Seven Other Stories by Thomas Mann

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

"Death in Venice," the title story, is kind of perfect and nasty and deserves its infamy. I was also extremely impressed by "Mario and the Magician": chilling, boldly antifascist. "The Blood of the Walsungs," in which Mann combines incest and a critique of antisemitism that also participates in antisemitism is...riveting if appalling. The rest of the stories run the gamut from "boring" to "containing moments of gut-punch power while also sort of boring" to "whoops, antisemitic again (also a bit boring)." I'm glad I fought my way through Mann's dense thickets of prose for the rewarding moments, but I'll need at least twenty years to recover before I dare revisit.