Reviews

The Discovery of Slowness by Sten Nadolny

ende_b's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

aglaia0001's review against another edition

3.0

A novelization of John Franklin's life, The Discovery of Slowness opens with John's struggle as a child to "keep up" with a faster paced world. Early in his life, John accepts what many would consider a disability, and in this acceptance turns it into a strength. Following John through his early career in the military, his struggles to live as a military seaman during times of peace, his journeys North, and his thrust into politics, The Discovery of Slowness never picks up its slow and relentless pace.

Throughout the novel, Nadony sprinkles profound observations such as John's observation that machines (that may work quickly) cannot be amazed or confused and therefore cannot discover anything alien to themselves. Additionally, readers get glimpses into John's mind as he is confronted with new technology and new social situtations. Although the beginning chapters seem appropriately slow, one cannot help but find onself inexorably pulled into the adventure and the misery of John's first journey North. The rest of his life, including his final trek North, pulls at readers' sensibilities. And John's death, from a seizure, seems appropriately tragic and inevitable for a man that lived slowly and accomplished much.

nina83's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

leonv's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

spam_musub's review

adventurous reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

marians_'s review

adventurous hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

4.25

jarichan's review against another edition

3.0

Dieses Buch lässt mich enorm zwiegespalten zurück...

Einerseits finde ich Geschichten, die auf Hoher See, und dann auch noch im Norden, spielen, sehr faszinierend. Ausserdem hat sogar die Erebus hier ihren Auftritt. Auch die Beschreibungen, wie John seine Langsamkeit von einem Makel in eine Stärke verwandelt, waren inspirierend. Ein gutes Beispiel gerade im hektischen 21. Jahrhundert.

Dennoch konnte mich der Titel kaum fesseln. Über lange Strecken fragte ich mich, ob ich abbrechen soll. Vielleicht bin ich einfach nicht für diese Art von Langsamkeit geschaffen? Oder noch nicht. Der Schreibstil Nadolnys vermochte es einfach nicht, mich auf längere Zeit bei sich zu behalten. Auch die Figuren sind grundsätzlich eher zu flach geraten und hätten noch etwas mehr Seele vertragen können.

eulix's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

_niva_'s review against another edition

Cis Mann in kolonialisierter Welt…

leboe's review against another edition

adventurous informative inspiring tense medium-paced

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

4.0