Reviews

An Ermine in Czernopol by Gregor Von Rezzori

franzbiberkopff's review

challenging funny reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Slow but beautiful, lucid and often funny writing. A great example of “empire fiction” looking at a space once on the edges of empire, with all its multiplicities of identity and languages. Makes me want to visit Chernivtsi. 

hannicogood's review

2.0

I had really looked forward to reading this, but there were too many threads of disjointed narrative and too many philosophical interludes. When we finally hear the end of Tildy’s story, I don’t even care because I felt we hardly spent any time learning about him, even though this is who the book is supposedly about.
The author does do some great writing depicting the rise of nationalism and anti-semitism pre-WWII and I think a narrative exploring that would have been a much better read. As it is, there was just too much in this book and I really didn’t care.

kingkong's review

4.0

This book is pretty cool, he goes off on tangents a lot and makes fun of the Germans