A review by nb_leftist
Closely Watched Trains by Bohumil Hrabal

dark funny 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

4.0

There’s something about Hrabal’s work that I always have a hard time with, but I don’t know how to describe it. I think “Too Loud a Solitude” is better and more interesting but I’m glad I gave this a try. Definitely some interesting stuff. The most interesting part for me was the killing of the animals, everyone is guilty, not just the German’s. The Jew’s were not just killed by the Germans who pushed the button or escorted them on the trains, but by the station workers who watched and knew, by the spouses of those workers who knew.