Scan barcode
minella's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, and Grief
clarabooksit's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Murder, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Violence
catandherbooks's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Tender and haunting, an ideal read for fans of dystopian fiction, books about women and how they feel about the societal obligations placed on them. About what can happen when these obligations are no more.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death and Injury/Injury detail
savvylit's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Translated from German, this introspective novel is a gripping tale of resilience in the face of unknown dystopian circumstances. The unnamed narrator is a middle-aged woman who adapts readily and impressively to self-sufficiency. She is fortunate to have the presence of several animals as companions: Lynx the hunting dog, Bella the milk cow, and a feisty semi-feral cat. The mutual reliance between the narrator and her animals was perhaps the most beautiful and relatable aspect of the novel.
The Wall could be perceived as a boring tale on a purely surface level. It's a diaristic narrative that includes a lot of realistic repetition; the main character's recap of chores completed comprises most of the novel. However, there's something deeply compelling in how The Wall is written. Haushofer skillfully weaves hints of international war, misogyny, and existentialism throughout the narrative.
All in all, many elements of this book felt like a combination of two of my past favorite reads: Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead (DYPOBD) by Olga Tokarczuk and I Who Have Never Known Men (IWHNKM) by Jacqueline Harpman. The first similarity is likely obvious - all three novels are translated works by European authors. But the similarities go deeper than that. The Wall's narrator reminded me quite a bit of Janina in DYPOBD, incredibly resilient, drily funny, and generally underestimated. Then, the themes of isolation and feminine strength in a dystopian setting were strongly reminiscent of IWHNKM. If you are also a fan of either - or both - novels, then you need to read The Wall.
The Wall could be perceived as a boring tale on a purely surface level. It's a diaristic narrative that includes a lot of realistic repetition; the main character's recap of chores completed comprises most of the novel. However, there's something deeply compelling in how The Wall is written. Haushofer skillfully weaves hints of international war, misogyny, and existentialism throughout the narrative.
All in all, many elements of this book felt like a combination of two of my past favorite reads: Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead (DYPOBD) by Olga Tokarczuk and I Who Have Never Known Men (IWHNKM) by Jacqueline Harpman. The first similarity is likely obvious - all three novels are translated works by European authors. But the similarities go deeper than that. The Wall's narrator reminded me quite a bit of Janina in DYPOBD, incredibly resilient, drily funny, and generally underestimated. Then, the themes of isolation and feminine strength in a dystopian setting were strongly reminiscent of IWHNKM. If you are also a fan of either - or both - novels, then you need to read The Wall.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Violence
julianna_sams's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Death
thursdd4y's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Death
shieldat's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
I loved this book. The whole concept is so strange and the main character honestly felt relatable (for better or worse) with the way she dealt with everything. And I never would've have guessed this was written in the 60s. I guess most of the book was just her doing tasks but it was so immersive for me and I was rooting for her and the animals. The story kind of activated some existential dread about like...how we exist in society and what actually determines our identities. I'll stop there because I'm not smart enough to write a review that does this book justice. I thought the translation was really good and I loved reading this book. 5 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
lauralhart's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
vgk's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
5.0
Just brilliant.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death