A review by oofym
Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse

challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

So this might be my favourite book I've read up untill this point. This was just such a dense and introspective book with incredibly intricate prose that gave words to concepts I've never been able to.

My main takeaway from this was that I think this story is ultimately about how as humans we are made up of a million different moving parts, and no matter how much we believe we are locked in to a specific path we have chosen in life, or how set in stone we are as a person, we can always rebuild ourselves; rebuild, choose and try again at any stage of our lives.

Another bit of philosophy in this that helped me personally; a solution to the over anxious mind: Is that to truly live we must completely give in to our senses, emotions and feelings. If you're a typical anxious individual and you let logic, rationale and reason rule you, you'll never be satisfied or content with the world, a world in which nothing is a given and everything is without proper explanation.

5/5. Will be reading more of Hesse's works after this.