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Liked It “This book was haunting and beautiful... the history of pain and forgetfulness for an individual bound to that of the world. I loved this book” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “Considering that this is basically his life story...I should be more sympathetic. But I'm not. A strange, forgettable work.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
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“This book was haunting and beautiful... the history of pain and forgetfulness for an individual bound to that of the world. I loved this book”
Jane H wrote this review Thursday, September 17 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“A splendid novel. Not to be missed by any serious reader.”
T.R. Hummer wrote this review Thursday, September 3 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“stream of consciosness”
Rich A wrote this review Wednesday, April 1 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I found this to be a profoundly moving and a very emotional book. It started off kind of slow with a discussion of architecture of military bastions of Belgium and train stations. I didn't know what to make of it all. But then, rather suddenly, the book turned to Austerlitz recalling his life as he travels through Europe discovering details of his life as a child and what had become of his parents. A Jewish boy in Prague during the Nazi occupation, he was allowed to be sent out of the country to be raised by Welsh foster parents. His parents weren't so lucky and perished in Czech and French concentration camps. I found it emotionally difficult to follow Austerlitz on his trip of discovery. The author did well capturing the mood of the time, the mood of visiting the site of a former concentration camp without going into details of the atrocities that were committed there. ”
Alex K wrote this review Friday, March 20 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Considering that this is basically his life story...I should be more sympathetic. But I'm not. A strange, forgettable work. ”
Jarndyce S wrote this review Saturday, October 20 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This is a seductive book of Proustian meanderings, charged with the witness of genocide. Profoundly moving. ”
Allyson Shaw wrote this review Friday, August 3 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Of Sebald's books, I've only read Austerlitz and Rings of Saturn, but they both made an enormous impression on me. I would roughly define his two main themes as the lingering effects of war and destruction on individual lives and the heartbreak of exile. His books are not strictly novels - they wander off into wonderful, atmospheric tangents of historical miscellany. Austerlitz has more of a plot than Rings. The eponymous protagonist is sent as a small child to England as part of the Kindertransport during WWII. There, he forgets his identity, only to search for his own history when he becomes an adult. One of the most moving parts of the books is when he finally returns to the city of his birth. After piecing together the long-forgotten events of his tragic childhood, he is reunited with his mother's servant. I was sitting in Starbucks when I read this part and had to really hold myself back from crying. Sadly, Sebald himself died too young, and we have only a few of his wonderful books to savor. I highly recommend this one.”
Emmaline wrote this review Monday, March 12 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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