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A review by wuthrinheights
The Sandman by E.T.A. Hoffmann
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I went in blindly and after the disappointing Poe stories, I refused to carry any expectations towards my next Penguin read. The Sandman, however, started out strongly.
It was an epistolary and I was hooked almost instantly. The events described in the letters were dramatic and passionate; it reminded me of Frankenstein or The Phantom of the Opera (my favourites, so this was reeling me in like I was a bird and someone had left a trail of seeds).
I had no idea where the story was going but the more I read on, the faster my eyes leapt over the words. It was amazing. Dark, gory, creepy, spooky, you name it. In the best way, it was psychotic and I was gobbling it up.
The narrator was brilliant to me. It was like the voice was pleading to let you hear the story. Like "I know this will sound crazy but you have to believe me." It was a possession, dreamlike, spectacular. There were so many good lines in this short story, I was thoroughly impressed.
The ending nearly had me gasp out loud and my God, I didn't expect to love it so much but I did. I'm so, so glad this book got chosen for our book club. This will quickly be in one of my favourite new reads this year!
It was an epistolary and I was hooked almost instantly. The events described in the letters were dramatic and passionate; it reminded me of Frankenstein or The Phantom of the Opera (my favourites, so this was reeling me in like I was a bird and someone had left a trail of seeds).
I had no idea where the story was going but the more I read on, the faster my eyes leapt over the words. It was amazing. Dark, gory, creepy, spooky, you name it. In the best way, it was psychotic and I was gobbling it up.
The narrator was brilliant to me. It was like the voice was pleading to let you hear the story. Like "I know this will sound crazy but you have to believe me." It was a possession, dreamlike, spectacular. There were so many good lines in this short story, I was thoroughly impressed.
The ending nearly had me gasp out loud and my God, I didn't expect to love it so much but I did. I'm so, so glad this book got chosen for our book club. This will quickly be in one of my favourite new reads this year!