Reviews

Šindlerio sąrašas by Thomas Keneally

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hadeanstars's review against another edition

4.0

Not so much a novel as a bureaucratic documentary of the Nazi effort to wipe the Jews from the face of the earth, or more specifically Kraków, and a singular study of the man at the centre of it all, the larger than life bon-vivant and womaniser: Oskar Schindler. If you have seen the film, then understand that it is fairly faithful to the book, but due to its visual nature, perhaps it is more difficult to get through: more visceral. That isn't to say that the book doesn't evoke a kind of slow-burning emotional trauma in its reader, because you cannot escape the horror of it, even if it is not spelled out graphically, but the novel surely does lend a different nuance to the same telling: it is often painfully banal. It is also an excellent study of the very gradual process of dehumanisation, and that which, by the end, ought to be outrageous, is merely a small movement of the gears from something that was already acceptable. To dehumanise a single person, or an entire people, seems easy enough, if you start small.

The most difficult character in the novel is Amon Goethe. He is almost a caricature, so monstrous is his mien, but at the same time, his world-view is chillingly casual. Schindler by contrast is a man who has found his time and his humanity in the midst of unspeakable evil. Before and after the war he was ordinary, human. In the thick of it, he was Olympian.

A really wonderful thing to read and understand. Important and undeniable. But perhaps not a truly great novel, because it is not really a novel at all. It is just something that happened - precious and remarkable, yes, but still an account.

mjminkowich's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

nip's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

mimela78's review against another edition

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adventurous dark informative reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

extraterrestrial_congregations's review against another edition

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The writing style was very much not for me; had such a hard time with the little I read. Decides to drop it after trying to read 30 or so pages at once and left with a headache and no energy at all. Pity :'D