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Book Review By Judy Berman
Berlin Alexanderplatz: The Story of Franz Biberkopf by Alfred Doblin

Franz Biberkopf has just been released from prison, after serving four years for manslaughter. As a former criminal, he vows to reform himself and become his own man. Unfortunately, Franz isn't very smart, and he involves himself with the wrong people and unknowingly becomes involved in a variety of criminal activities. A stubborn man, Franz refuses to believe his true friends when they tell him that he should not trust Reinhold, a man who Franz believes is his best friend, but who is actually a malicious, evil person. It is not until Reinhold kills Franz's beloved girlfriend, Mieze, and tries to implicate him in the murder, that Franz understand what is really happening. Confined to a mental hospital due to the doctors' belief that he killed Mieze out of insanity, Franz begins trying to put his life back together.


Plot & Themes
Tone of book? - thoughtful
Time/era of story - 1900-1920's
Crime & Police story Yes
Story of
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status:
Age: - 20's-30's
Ethnicity/Nationality
Unusual characteristics:

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status:
Eccentric/Smart/Dumb: Yes
Eccentric:
How sensitive is this character?
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 5 ()
Europe Yes
European country: - Germany
City? Yes
City: - dirty, grimy (like New York)

Writing Style
Sex in book? Yes
Lot of foul language? Yes
Amount of dialog - significantly more descript than dialog
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