Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Im Westen nichts Neues by Erich Maria Remarque

80 reviews

daniellekat's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated

4.5

A tragic look at the cost of war. This was powerfully told and has understandably stood the test of time. At times the language was a bit dense and difficult to follow, but the translation was superb. I also found the pacing strange, although the unpredictability of it did add to the overall reading experience. All-in-all this was heavy but absolutely worthwhile.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Classism

Minor: Cancer, Sexism, Excrement, and Vomit

marsco's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and War

Minor: Animal death

mooonyaa's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Medical content and Murder

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death

patriciapueyolopez's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death

Minor: Cancer, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury

jamie_el's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? N/A

5.0

This book is one I'd consider a must-read for anyone. It is very heavy in topic and definitely a more somber read, but the focus it holds on what it was like for the soldiers of WW1 really brings to life the conflict and reminds us that the people it affected were not dissimilar to us. I think its grit and its honesty makes it one of the best anti-war books ever written.

You find yourself falling in love with the characters, only for them to be cruelly ripped away out of nowhere. And throughout you find yourself asking for what reason it is.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Due to the focus on the first world war, there is quite explicit description throughout of the sights and sounds the soldiers experience, including description of injuries, dead bodies etc. which may be distressing to some people.

sarareadsxxx13's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Blood, and War

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

felivrin's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Blood and Medical content

probablytoolate's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Blood, and Alcohol

wyabook234's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense 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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, and Medical content

Minor: Bullying and Vomit