Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

На западния фронт нищо ново by Erich Maria Remarque

22 reviews

elisabeth888's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This is probably the most graphic and depressing novel I have ever read. While originally written in German, none of the effectiveness and pain in Remarque's writing is lost through its English translation. Remarque's novel demonstrates the stupidity of war - how young, poor men (who are really only children) are forced to sacrifice their lives only to profit their government and military leaders.

Throughout the novel, the main character, Paul Bäumer, and his fellow soldiers become lost and dissociated as they attempt to navigate through the horrific reality of war. The soldiers in themselves embody a complex role - they are victims to their government's greed but they are also aggressors to the enemies, who are men and boys just like themselves.

I see many similarities and differences to Tim O'Brien's biography "If I Die in a Combat Zone" which delves into O'Brien's experience as an American foot soldier in the Vietnam War. While Remarque and O'Brien's accounts are separated by 50 years of technological and tactical development, there are multiple similarities, such as toxic and incompetent military leadership, trench warfare, the grief of losing one's comrades, and the unwillingness to even use the word "death" - for O'Brien, death called getting "wasted" and for Remarque death is called "rot". Therefore, while the technology in warfare will change, the similarities of military leadership exploiting the young and poor and leaving generations of men dissociated and traumatized is a constant.

I highly recommend everyone to read All Quiet on the Western Front - however, note that this is a very distressing read and can be especially distressing for those who have served. Please consider viewing content warnings about this book before reading.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Blood, Grief, and War

Moderate: Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Animal death, Racism, Sexual content, Excrement, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury

ninjamuse's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, Terminal illness, and Fire/Fire injury

jumpingjacksofy's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Beautifully written.  The rhythm of Erich Maria Remarque’s poetic prose is a treat to read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, and War

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Suicide

connectedwings's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

jagrove's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Moderate: Animal death and Blood

sophtanda's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cancer, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, and Colonisation

Minor: Sexual content and Fire/Fire injury

heuteschongekurtet's review against another edition

challenging tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Cancer, Cursing, Eating disorder, Genocide, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content

piaa157's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and War

saraaaa's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.75

One of the best pieces of war literature I've ever read. Deeply moving, reflective, leaves you with a strong sense of injustice – as any good war novel should.
I feel like the author went for an explicitly didascalic approach, unambiguously denouncing the horrors of the war through the first person account of the young protagonist's personal experiences and reflections.
The strong accent on the loss of youthful dreams and teenage convictions makes it, in a way, a hybrid between a war novel and a bildungsroman.
The style was poetic at times, especially when reporting the protagonist's considerations, then moving to a kind of matter-of-factly journalistic style when describing the soldiers' routine and daily sufferings.
Last but not least, it's the first – and so far the only – war novel I read that managed to give a realistic account of a teenage boy's perspective on women and sexual attraction without falling into misogyny.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cancer and Mental illness

Minor: Racial slurs, Excrement, and Alcohol

sophiemoony's review against another edition

dark informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

incredible how a story written in 1928 can still be so relevant - and that you could apply direct quotes to current situations worldwide. some things don't change. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, and War