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greycatbird's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
4.5
Whimsical and loquacious the short stories of Hoffman are a classic for a reason.
ghada_mohammed's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
A captivating collection that seamlessly combined everyday mundanity with otherworldly surrealism to yield a whimsical and rather dark fairy-tale-like portrait that might just barely offer a peak into Hoffman's apparently complex psyche. Personally, I always struggle with reviewing collections and this one was particularly difficult: while some of the stories were truly delightful (the eponymous piece, the golden pot, and Ritter Gluck mainly), others were tedious and a struggle to get through, while the rest were frankly forgettable and did not merit much of an opinion; for that, I shall refrain from posting a rating that might discourage or mislead future readers. As for the translation itself, it was easy to follow and further offered footnotes that helpfully provided context.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
jessicalouise31's review against another edition
4.0
Firstly thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this book.
The Golden Pot is a translated short story collection from the writer and composer E.T.A Hoffmann. Each story threads together the themes of murder, magic, madness and music. Told through beautiful prose and imagery which gives it an almost fever dream quality.
As with all collections some stories resonate more. His most famous The Golden Pot and The sandman are prime examples of his work and his exploration of madness and magic and how music can play its parts. But my personal favourite was Mademoiselle De Scudery a murder mystery possibly one of the 1st of its kinds. It has jewellery thefts, possible spirits,secrets and royalty.
I would recommend this book to anybody who wants to dip.in to the classics or who love character driven stories.
The Golden Pot is a translated short story collection from the writer and composer E.T.A Hoffmann. Each story threads together the themes of murder, magic, madness and music. Told through beautiful prose and imagery which gives it an almost fever dream quality.
As with all collections some stories resonate more. His most famous The Golden Pot and The sandman are prime examples of his work and his exploration of madness and magic and how music can play its parts. But my personal favourite was Mademoiselle De Scudery a murder mystery possibly one of the 1st of its kinds. It has jewellery thefts, possible spirits,secrets and royalty.
I would recommend this book to anybody who wants to dip.in to the classics or who love character driven stories.
logophile's review against another edition
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
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