A review by scherezade
The Appointment: A Novel by Katharina Volckmer

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

WOW this was quite a read. I went into the book cold and when it opened with that
Spoiler incredibly graphic Hitler-themed sexual fantasy
I very nearly stopped listening, but I kept going. This novel definitely goes to uncomfortable, weird and dark places, but it has a lot of interesting and often moving things to say about gender, sexuality, national identity, the self, and a combination of all of those things. The prose is also by turn really beautiful and really funny; in both instances, I had to pause the audiobook to think about what I'd just read (or laugh out loud). The author narrates the audiobook as well, which made for a uniquely engaging experience given her dry, soft voice, and I thought was well suited to how the book is written stylistically like a monologue.

Not something I'd recommend to everyone, but deeply original and definitely memorable. I'm glad to have read it. 


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