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A review by generalheff
Elective Affinities by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
2.0
This book chronicles the lives of a handful of privileged individuals in (I would guess) late 18th century Germany, covering their amatory trials and tribulations. For years I have read various authors (Schopenhauer for example) wax lyrical about the almighty Goethe and was excited finally to read a novel by such an accomplished master.
And oh boy was I disappointed. Perhaps in the climate of 2020 - where the world is attempting to have a discussion on inequality and systemic bias - a tale about a few wealthy individuals lording it over their estate, patronising their servants and behaving as if the world were ending because they can't hook up with each other on a whim - was always going to be an uncomfortable read.
Because that is all this book is: we follow a raft of totally despicable characters. Eduard gaslights his wife Charlotte into thinking 'yes, I should support you in divorcing me in order to marry this young girl in our household'; Ottilie - the young girl - decides to renounce the world because she cannot handle living with or without Eduard and winges and wines about her lot; and everyone around this awful pair seems to think that their relationship is special and worth turning everyone else's lives upside down for.
Ultimately the plot hinges on Ottilie and Eduard - and their awe-inspiring love. But it's ultimately just the lust of a bored married man, and a bullied, immature young woman - who have zero chemistry and even less to like about them. Which renders the whole novel faintly ludicrous, particularly the closing scenes - meant to be dramatic but ultimately just a bit silly.
Of course having dislikable characters of course doesn't in and of itself render a book 'bad', but the fact that there doesn't seem to be any meaningful message underneath it all, and the interactions and happenings of the book are so tedious, the characters themselves so self-pityingly morose, mean I have to review this book a paltry 2 stars. This was a massive disappointment given the reputation of the author.
And oh boy was I disappointed. Perhaps in the climate of 2020 - where the world is attempting to have a discussion on inequality and systemic bias - a tale about a few wealthy individuals lording it over their estate, patronising their servants and behaving as if the world were ending because they can't hook up with each other on a whim - was always going to be an uncomfortable read.
Because that is all this book is: we follow a raft of totally despicable characters. Eduard gaslights his wife Charlotte into thinking 'yes, I should support you in divorcing me in order to marry this young girl in our household'; Ottilie - the young girl - decides to renounce the world because she cannot handle living with or without Eduard and winges and wines about her lot; and everyone around this awful pair seems to think that their relationship is special and worth turning everyone else's lives upside down for.
Ultimately the plot hinges on Ottilie and Eduard - and their awe-inspiring love. But it's ultimately just the lust of a bored married man, and a bullied, immature young woman - who have zero chemistry and even less to like about them. Which renders the whole novel faintly ludicrous, particularly the closing scenes - meant to be dramatic but ultimately just a bit silly.
Of course having dislikable characters of course doesn't in and of itself render a book 'bad', but the fact that there doesn't seem to be any meaningful message underneath it all, and the interactions and happenings of the book are so tedious, the characters themselves so self-pityingly morose, mean I have to review this book a paltry 2 stars. This was a massive disappointment given the reputation of the author.