This novel contains the thoughts, musings, and observations of a German foot soldier during the trench fighting of World War One. The prose is unromantic, matter of fact, and starkly beautiful. His introspections exact and detailed, the young man records the decline of his initial schoolboy enthusiasm into a sense of disaffected futility--and anger at those pedants, bureaucrats, and functionaries who have sent his friends and classmates to death and misery. | ||
Plot & Themes Tone of story - depressing/sad Time/era of story: War Thriller Yes Armed Forces: - Army Specific to - WW I Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book descript. of violence and chases - 20 % Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30 % How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 30 % Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Ethnicity/Race Main Adversary Identity: - an organization Age: - 20's-30's Profession/status: Motive of antagonist - power The antagonists are: - government bureaucracy How sensitive is this character? Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting Forest? Yes Misc setting - fort/military installation Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - very gorey references to deaths/dead bodies and torture Amount of dialog - significantly more descript than dialog |