The Marquise of O– by Heinrich von Kleist
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I read this story twice. Once during my advanced German literature reading course I took more than 10 years ago and then again for this purpose of this review.
It is strange to say I enjoyed it, but I kind of did. It certainly leaves a lasting impression on the reader, as it did for me.
I remember it so vividly, most likely because we discussed it in detail, but also because of the subtle approach the author took in addressing some of the subjects he touches on.
It has its spine-tingling moments as various significant events occur and how the female protagonist is treated and expected to behave.
I find this is a perfect story to read for a book club meeting, since it isn’t too long and there is so much to talk about and discuss in detail and from a range of perspectives, such as reading the German version versus the English one and what impact on the narration the translation could have.
Overall, I would recommend this book in its original German version and its English translation. It is a piece of German literature that I was introduced to much later than I liked.
