A review by kuhkeke
Death in Venice and Other Stories by Thomas Mann

4.0

Death in Venice is a highly referential work, nodding to Nietzsche (Apollonian/Dionysian dichotomy) and Plato’s Phaedrus. Admittedly, the writing is quite beautiful. Regardless of how any author tries to dress up pedophilistic tendencies by recalling classical pederasty or lofty images of ethereal beauty, youth, love, and psychological turmoil, it doesn’t change how creepy the events detailed in the novella are. I think the only redeeming part about a story that involves a pedophile is that there is no act of consummation.

Besides the title story, I much enjoyed the short stories Tobias Mindernickel and Tonio Kroger. All stories within this collection are introspective and immersive character studies.