Review of Rübezahl
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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Rübezahl" by M. Laszlo.]
Set in the city of Iluze, Rübezahl by M. Laszlo is a philosophical fiction book that demonstrates how fragile reality is. Despite being a prisoner, Rübezahl has always been feared; he used to enslave children and cause chaos everywhere. Waltraud is a complicated girl, forced to hide who she is and her past. After being abandoned, Rübezahl claims he cared for her, but everything she knows about him is that he is evil and takes advantage of her. After he starts invading her thoughts and manipulating her to help him escape, she is determined to have her revenge. But, when Rübezahl escapes, Waltraud is certain she did not help him and that she will be able to destroy him and have her revenge. Who helped Rübezahl escape? Will Waltraud have her revenge?
I enjoyed the characters; Waltraud is complicated, and I struggled to connect with her, but she is one of the most complex and perfectly crafted characters I've ever read about. She lives an independent life but is troubled by guilt because of her past and her connection with Rübezahl. I also enjoyed Madam Wu, as her relationship with Waltraud is entirely different from every other character. The author also does an incredible job incorporating modern-day problems with a 19th-century mentality. I also enjoyed the inclusion of characters like the newspapermen, as they perfectly capture how media manipulates the information.
Some of the negative aspects of the book are that I feel the author focuses more on the philosophical aspect of the book than the fantasy/narrative aspect, which made me feel the pace was too slow, as I expected a fast-paced, action-filled book, especially as the relationship between Waltraud and Rüzehal gets more complicated. I also felt that the language, both the English vocabulary and the use of German, without including translations, makes some of the book hard to understand. At times, I also felt the book was repetitive and that it focused too much on some details that I struggled to understand.
The book has been professionally edited, as I only found one minor mistake. The book is best suited for adults and mature readers, especially those who enjoy dark fantasy. Because of everything I have said, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
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Rübezahl
View: on Bookshelves
Set in the city of Iluze, Rübezahl by M. Laszlo is a philosophical fiction book that demonstrates how fragile reality is. Despite being a prisoner, Rübezahl has always been feared; he used to enslave children and cause chaos everywhere. Waltraud is a complicated girl, forced to hide who she is and her past. After being abandoned, Rübezahl claims he cared for her, but everything she knows about him is that he is evil and takes advantage of her. After he starts invading her thoughts and manipulating her to help him escape, she is determined to have her revenge. But, when Rübezahl escapes, Waltraud is certain she did not help him and that she will be able to destroy him and have her revenge. Who helped Rübezahl escape? Will Waltraud have her revenge?
I enjoyed the characters; Waltraud is complicated, and I struggled to connect with her, but she is one of the most complex and perfectly crafted characters I've ever read about. She lives an independent life but is troubled by guilt because of her past and her connection with Rübezahl. I also enjoyed Madam Wu, as her relationship with Waltraud is entirely different from every other character. The author also does an incredible job incorporating modern-day problems with a 19th-century mentality. I also enjoyed the inclusion of characters like the newspapermen, as they perfectly capture how media manipulates the information.
Some of the negative aspects of the book are that I feel the author focuses more on the philosophical aspect of the book than the fantasy/narrative aspect, which made me feel the pace was too slow, as I expected a fast-paced, action-filled book, especially as the relationship between Waltraud and Rüzehal gets more complicated. I also felt that the language, both the English vocabulary and the use of German, without including translations, makes some of the book hard to understand. At times, I also felt the book was repetitive and that it focused too much on some details that I struggled to understand.
The book has been professionally edited, as I only found one minor mistake. The book is best suited for adults and mature readers, especially those who enjoy dark fantasy. Because of everything I have said, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
******
Rübezahl
View: on Bookshelves
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