Tagged: germany

All the Light We Cannot See

All the Light We Cannot See: A Novel by Anthony Doerr, 4/5

I could complain that this story lost me a bit near the end, but that could very well be a symptom of the pure exhaustion I was feeling at 1am, after reading the entire book in one day. While I can’t claim to be as emotionally traumatized (in a good way) as other reviewers seem to be, I did find this to be a well-crafted and beautifully-written work of historical fiction. I especially appreciated how the author was able to keep my interest equally in both the main character’s story arcs, despite switching between them for the bulk of the book in a way that would be annoying if not so thoughtfully done. A prominent MacGuffin and too little time spent weaving the two character’s stories together after they finally met, is all that keeps this from being a classic, in my opinion.

Why I read it: an oft-mentioned entry in the comments on an Instagram post about favorite (or most meaningful–I can’t remember which) books.

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen by Rudolf Erich Raspe, illustrated by Gustave Dore, 3/5

The ridiculous and fantastical exploits of Baron Munchausen remind me very much of the tall tales told of American folk heroes Davy Crockett and Paul Bunyan. In fact, I so firmly associate this aesthetic with 19th- and 20th-century America that I really struggled to reconcile it with 18th-century Germany. I looked in vain for an undercurrent of serious political satire, but none was to be found. Even the illustrations seemed implausible: Gustave Doré is best known for his extremely serious engravings of Biblical scenes. I had to verify that he was even capable of depictions like Baron Munchausen’s butt plugging a hole in a leaky ship, while a school of fish look on in obvious shock. This book should not exist but it’s so bonkers that I’m glad it does (even if it’s not exactly my cup of tea).

Why I read it: another one from the list of 10 Forgotten Fantastical Novels You Should Read Immediately.