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machete13's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Bölls Erzählung büßt auch ca. 50 Jahre später keinerlei Aktualität ein, zumal sich medial konstruierte und inszenierte Realitäten längst nicht mehr nur auf Zeitungen beschränken. Zudem lässt sich - auch in Bezug auf aktuelle Beispiele - nachvollziehen, inwiefern die Existenz einer unabhängigen Frau von patriarchalen Strukturen und deren Profiteuren und Narrativen zerstört wird.
sonjah's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
andreapurata's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
flelix's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
carmg's review against another edition
challenging
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
not_another_ana's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
"Who reads those anyway? Everyone I know reads the News!"
Average housekeeper Katharina Blum becomes the target of sensationalist tabloids and rabid journalists after a meeting with a dangerous man makes her a person of interest to the police. While initially cooperative and willing to talk, the attacks on her character by the papers and the public perception turning on her slowly chip away at her sanity until violence becomes the only answer to her torment with horrible consequences.
RIP Heinrich Böll you would have hated the current state of journalism and social media. This book is a criticism of the press and the lengths many will go to sell content. It's a text that asks what is really news and what is tabloid journalism, how far can we really push freedom of speech, and who pays the consequences of rampant misinformation. Katharina Blum's life is completely destroyed by selective editing of her, and others, statements, by journalists hounding her and doxxing her, but also by the police and government's lack of action.
This book will strike its readers as current and topical, nowadays with social media we've seen similar situations. In fact, it's even worse today due to the reach of digital platforms and the fact that anyone can just say anything on the internet (and I'm not even going to get into AI and its misuses). That was mainly my takeaway from this, how the book felt like it could have been written today and how nothing much has changed, specifically when it comes to laws regarding these kinds of defamation and character assassination. While I liked the moral I did not enjoy the book. I understand why it was written that way, but I didn't care much for it. Good message and I still recommend reading it just not a favorite.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Death of parent
Harassment, doxxingsonea_moon's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
hannahjustinchen's review against another edition
informative
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5