Reviews

Faust, Part One by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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matthewboczon's review against another edition

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challenging dark medium-paced

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

4.25

ava_helenee's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.75

pageofpentacles's review against another edition

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3.0

Tolerable enough, but I just never liked prose in form of poetry and rhymes. The translation to my language just seems awkward. That's not to say I completely disliked the book, I can tell how it was named one of the classics and is an assigned reading, but it just wasn't for me. Much like most of my assigned readings.

Yeah, I know those were different times, but the fact that Gretta was 14 and gaslit into falling for Faust is just so eerie and made most of the book insufferable for me.

cray0312's review against another edition

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challenging slow-paced

2.0

zackarinareads's review against another edition

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1.0

"Faust" is a German classic about Faust (surprise!), a 50-year-old academic who experiences a severe mid-life-crisis because he feels like he can never truly know everything. That's why he makes a deal with the devil to experience life to the fullest.

I had to read this book for school and did not like it for several reasons.
I did not find the protagonist Faust likeable because I did not get his problem in the first place

Spoiler

and he later magically gets 20 years younger and has a relationship with a 14-year-old, yikes

. Mephisto (the devil) and Gretchen (the... love interest) are a bit more interesting.
The drama is written in verse which makes it annoying to read and some scenes feel pretty pointless.
The ending is the only part that I found interesting, so I would give this drama one and a half stars if I could.

Overall, would not recommend.