A review by janwe
Wo warst du, Adam? by Heinrich Böll

5.0

Very insightful read. Heinrich Böll describes brutally honest the horrors of war at the end of WWII. The novel is narrated in short poignant - but nevertheless heart hitting - vignettes, that depict characters from all parts of society (Jews, “normal” soldiers, SS-Männer, members of military in lower and higher positions, civilian population, prisoners of war, etc.). It does not read like a chronological story, and it has no “main” protagonists, rather the novel presents accurate snapshots of life during (the end of) WWII. All the stories of the characters are in very hard to read, because of their despair, and their world views (in case of Nazis) are very heart wrenching. Although, this book has only 140pages, it took me a couple of days to read, because it makes you constantly think about what you have just read, and makes your stomach ache. One of the best books I have read on WWII, because of its realistic depiction.