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sookieskipper 's review for:
The good soldier Švejk and his fortunes in the world war
by Jaroslav Hašek
Not going to lie, this got a bit boring during end of second book and a good part of the third, but it still was enjoyable read and can easily breeze through.
The experience of reading good soldier is intimate and not as intense as much of its contemporary makes it out to be. When it comes to war, our reading experiences surround the horrors of its aftermath or during on people or soldiers. But there are some books out there like the one by Joe Sacco that deals with everyday life of those who are affected by the war and are pulled into it purely because of their geography. Good Soldier is that book where we see the banality of everyday life of a soldier who were mostly drafted, had no inclination for war nor any interest. The character Svejk is one such soldier who was let go based on mental health reasons. He is self-aware, intelligent, witty and clever when situation demands it. But he puts up a front of idiocy and naive innocence which is very hard to get through as the combination becomes an almost impenetrable shield.
With this shield in place, Svejk very early on, since the very first chapter, starts on his journey in the war that's inevitable and the life that comes with it, traumatic. His prophetic perspective on impending doom that lies ahead of them after assassination of the Archduke is the start of his intelligence on display and it continues in a subtle variance of biting sarcasm and satire.
Svejk makes an interesting storyteller and a traveling companion. It only makes me wonder what he would think of the modern warfare.
The experience of reading good soldier is intimate and not as intense as much of its contemporary makes it out to be. When it comes to war, our reading experiences surround the horrors of its aftermath or during on people or soldiers. But there are some books out there like the one by Joe Sacco that deals with everyday life of those who are affected by the war and are pulled into it purely because of their geography. Good Soldier is that book where we see the banality of everyday life of a soldier who were mostly drafted, had no inclination for war nor any interest. The character Svejk is one such soldier who was let go based on mental health reasons. He is self-aware, intelligent, witty and clever when situation demands it. But he puts up a front of idiocy and naive innocence which is very hard to get through as the combination becomes an almost impenetrable shield.
With this shield in place, Svejk very early on, since the very first chapter, starts on his journey in the war that's inevitable and the life that comes with it, traumatic. His prophetic perspective on impending doom that lies ahead of them after assassination of the Archduke is the start of his intelligence on display and it continues in a subtle variance of biting sarcasm and satire.
Svejk makes an interesting storyteller and a traveling companion. It only makes me wonder what he would think of the modern warfare.