A review by tovejansson
The Bridge on the Drina by Ivo Andrić

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I think Andrić‘s characterization of the book as a chronicle rather than a novel is helpful in understanding the text. It’s a good book for people like me, who enjoy learning about history through literature rather than nonfiction. However, I did feel at times I was missing some important historical context, so further study is in order. 

The many characters are hard to follow, and I would have benefited from some kind of reading guide included in the text like is sometimes done with other novels, or a glossary of terms.

The prose is beautiful, but the dense, description-heavy text could be a bit of a slog. 

Overall, it was worth the read.