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jimbowen0306's review against another edition
1.0
I'm told I'm not allowed to call this book "pretentious hogwash", so I won't. I will say, however, that much of the book is beyond tedious to read and has a central concept that, to me at least, stretched credulity beyond breaking point. Consequently, I hated it.
So why did I have such a problem with the book?
Set in the future (the 25th Century), Hesse's book describes a world that has miraculously managed to stop fighting, watching cruddy TV, and listening to gossip as vicariously as it does now. This world had wiped out all western religions except Catholicism, and somehow decided "we're going to live a better [i.e. more moral, more intellectual] life."
Into this experience, we see a game develop. It's part maths. It's part music. It's part art. It's part philosophy. It's part non-religious ideas of perfection, and it's protected by sort of "Glass Bead Game" playing priesthood (who aren't really priests because they're atheists, but who have all the convictions of the American "Moral Majority" and the doctrines of the Catholic Church).
Into this story steps Joseph Knecht, a man who becomes a "Magister Ludi" (a sort of archbishop for the game players). After which it becomes a sort of biography of this imaginary guy. He's a man so syrupy in his "goodness" that he'd give diabetes to those who've never eaten sugar. We see his rise up the order. His obtaining of the position, and how he acts (and what he comes to believe -which anyone with half a brain would have top him in about 5 seconds) once he obtains the position.
I'm sorry, but I found the book being syrupy. No one's that "perfect." Nothing can stop us being who we are, and yet we're expected to believe some dumb game where people meditate on where to put marbles on pieces of string (and can take days over it) came along and did just that.
Don't get me wrong, I can see the book's well written, it's just so sickly sweet over the general perfection of Knecht that I can feel myself slipping into a diabetic coma as we speak.
So why did I have such a problem with the book?
Set in the future (the 25th Century), Hesse's book describes a world that has miraculously managed to stop fighting, watching cruddy TV, and listening to gossip as vicariously as it does now. This world had wiped out all western religions except Catholicism, and somehow decided "we're going to live a better [i.e. more moral, more intellectual] life."
Into this experience, we see a game develop. It's part maths. It's part music. It's part art. It's part philosophy. It's part non-religious ideas of perfection, and it's protected by sort of "Glass Bead Game" playing priesthood (who aren't really priests because they're atheists, but who have all the convictions of the American "Moral Majority" and the doctrines of the Catholic Church).
Into this story steps Joseph Knecht, a man who becomes a "Magister Ludi" (a sort of archbishop for the game players). After which it becomes a sort of biography of this imaginary guy. He's a man so syrupy in his "goodness" that he'd give diabetes to those who've never eaten sugar. We see his rise up the order. His obtaining of the position, and how he acts (and what he comes to believe -which anyone with half a brain would have top him in about 5 seconds) once he obtains the position.
I'm sorry, but I found the book being syrupy. No one's that "perfect." Nothing can stop us being who we are, and yet we're expected to believe some dumb game where people meditate on where to put marbles on pieces of string (and can take days over it) came along and did just that.
Don't get me wrong, I can see the book's well written, it's just so sickly sweet over the general perfection of Knecht that I can feel myself slipping into a diabetic coma as we speak.
reduck's review against another edition
2.0
Just got really bogged down in this one even with the audio book version
connorlangham's review against another edition
4.0
The majority of this novel, the biography and story of Knect's life, is tedious, unnecessarily drawn out and without the sort of introspection and dissection that I love Hesse for. There are interesting passages with characters who change his worldview, but largely it's just too long.
The last two chapters on his life are great, the poems are fantastic and the 'lives', the three short stories at the end, are Hesse's magnum opus. All three are incredible and touch on different parts of his philosophy. They are worth the pain.
The last two chapters on his life are great, the poems are fantastic and the 'lives', the three short stories at the end, are Hesse's magnum opus. All three are incredible and touch on different parts of his philosophy. They are worth the pain.
jasycath's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
deathofrats's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
2.5
yujtang's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
plastron's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
wooorm's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
theevester's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Basically did not finish but I did the main part the rest after seemed like waffle. Yes it well written and makes a lot of statements on class and academia, but it’s also boring and very telling not showing. How did this win a Nobel prize.