A review by serendipitysbooks
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera

challenging emotional reflective slow-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

3.75

 The Unbearable Lightness of Being is partly the story of Tomas and Tereza’s relationship, as well as relationships involving Franz and Sabina, set against the background of the Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, and partly a philosophical tome. I frequently felt like I was reading a non-fiction text rather than a work of fiction. The big picture philosophical ruminations took me out of the story but were an interesting way of considering the characters and their actions. None of the characters are faithful to each other or especially likeable. The author’s depiction of their sex lives felt overly prurient and left me feeling a little icky. I think this may have been partly because it was written in the third person, from the point of view of an outside observer, but also some of the male attitudes had me cringing. I’m glad to have finally read this one. It definitely pushed my conception of what a novel could be and there were passages of beautiful and insightful writing. As to whether I liked it, I’m still trying to decide. I definitely liked parts of it; other aspects not so much - or not at all. 
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