A review by niakantorka
Kleider machen Leute by Gottfried Keller

challenging funny informative 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? Yes

4.0

This is much more fun when you’re reading this in your forties instead being forced to read it during school in 7th grade (usually as the first school lecture of a German classic). I remember how I was bored by the enumerations as a thirteen year old and laughed out loud quite a few times now. The German does feel quite antiquated now but it has been 150 years since this novella was published. A lot of the historical context goes over the head of modern day people (the military ranks of the 19th century for example), but the core of the matter - that people see what they want to see - holds true to this day. 

I definitely enjoyed rereading this together with kiddo. She told me that my explanations together with the glossary at the end of this little book helped her understand the message easier than being on her own. She was thoroughly disappointed though that Nettchen didn’t take her money and left everyone behind because in her opinion she was the only character with a backbone. Well, kiddo’s got a point. 😆