Book Name: All Quiet on the Western Front
Author: Erich Maria Remarque
Genre: War
Year Published: 1929
Right, this one was kinda difficult to write about. It's a famous and popular novel about World War I, written from a German perspective, though I get the feeling that most perspectives would be pretty similar.
Honestly, I struggled to get into it. Before I read it, people told me it would make me feel sad, so I was a little wary of that, but these fears were actually unfounded. Being a novel about war, undoubtedly there were sad moments in the book, but I didn't feel sad in myself. I think that is because I've not got any experience I can relate to being in a war. I can't imagine those intense emotions and so I don't connect with them when I read about it.
Despite this, I did like the book. I wouldn't say it was one of my favourites or anything, but as an introduction to war novels it was pretty good. I've never been drawn to reading this genre before. People's friends dying, horses dying and the threat of personally dying is a subject I tend to avoid, particularly in something I do for pleasure such as reading. However I guess it's important not to ignore it at the same time. Wars happen. Death happens. The experiences of the people caught up in all this actually makes for some pretty intense reading at points.
At others, the story can kinda drag. Halfway through the book I nearly quit reading it. The same stuff happens over and over. Bombings, hunger, injuries, death, homesickness. I had to persuade myself to continue for the challenge. Luckily I did, because it definitely picks up. You really get to see Paul (the narrator)'s character develop. Remarque does an excellent job really of showing the emotions one goes through over time in such a harsh environment. I don't really want to write all the stuff that happens. It's much better if you read it yourself.
Don't go in expecting all the feels. Just try to experience it I guess. And hope like hell you never have to go through that yourself.
Honestly, I struggled to get into it. Before I read it, people told me it would make me feel sad, so I was a little wary of that, but these fears were actually unfounded. Being a novel about war, undoubtedly there were sad moments in the book, but I didn't feel sad in myself. I think that is because I've not got any experience I can relate to being in a war. I can't imagine those intense emotions and so I don't connect with them when I read about it.
Despite this, I did like the book. I wouldn't say it was one of my favourites or anything, but as an introduction to war novels it was pretty good. I've never been drawn to reading this genre before. People's friends dying, horses dying and the threat of personally dying is a subject I tend to avoid, particularly in something I do for pleasure such as reading. However I guess it's important not to ignore it at the same time. Wars happen. Death happens. The experiences of the people caught up in all this actually makes for some pretty intense reading at points.
At others, the story can kinda drag. Halfway through the book I nearly quit reading it. The same stuff happens over and over. Bombings, hunger, injuries, death, homesickness. I had to persuade myself to continue for the challenge. Luckily I did, because it definitely picks up. You really get to see Paul (the narrator)'s character develop. Remarque does an excellent job really of showing the emotions one goes through over time in such a harsh environment. I don't really want to write all the stuff that happens. It's much better if you read it yourself.
Don't go in expecting all the feels. Just try to experience it I guess. And hope like hell you never have to go through that yourself.
Other Books I Considered: A Farewell to Arms - Ernest Hemingway; Some Prefer Nettles - Junichiro Tanizaki
Books I Read Inbetween: The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
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