Scan barcode
A review by livithomson48
The Man Outside by Wolfgang Borchert
5.0
Although when I first read this I thought it was the most depressing book I had ever read (I was 17, give me a chance, I was also proven wrong soon after), over time I've realised that it has a lot to say about the mental health of soldiers was affected by the wars, a topic that is so often spoken little about in older literature.
Digging more into the background of this novel and the author's life, you see more and more of the author's own struggles in his writing and you're given that feeling of being connected to someone else through time.
It is depressing but it's also on an important topic and the story of these characters is interesting and touching and offers to British readers a different point of view on the world wars when we are so used to our own country's narrative from that time.
I would recommend reading this to many (not all) readers because it may open your eyes. I'm very grateful to my wonderful German teacher for asking me to read this.
Digging more into the background of this novel and the author's life, you see more and more of the author's own struggles in his writing and you're given that feeling of being connected to someone else through time.
It is depressing but it's also on an important topic and the story of these characters is interesting and touching and offers to British readers a different point of view on the world wars when we are so used to our own country's narrative from that time.
I would recommend reading this to many (not all) readers because it may open your eyes. I'm very grateful to my wonderful German teacher for asking me to read this.