A review by daid64
Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall by Anna Funder
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.5
Having no idea what life was like in East Germany, I was keen to read this book. The stories were heartbreaking and frightening. This was the best part of the book and seeing how these people are living now. Some of the stories are from the Stasi themselves and I found them really disturbing: not an easy read.
For me, the main issue I had was Anna’s ‘story’. I liked how she tried to stay connected with some of the storytellers and how she was affected by what they went through. However, I found some of it self-absorbed and I felt that detracted from the aim.
I would recommend this book as I think it serves not just as a historical account of East Germany but also as a warning to how we can abuse power and be abused by it.
For me, the main issue I had was Anna’s ‘story’. I liked how she tried to stay connected with some of the storytellers and how she was affected by what they went through. However, I found some of it self-absorbed and I felt that detracted from the aim.
I would recommend this book as I think it serves not just as a historical account of East Germany but also as a warning to how we can abuse power and be abused by it.