Title: Disturbing, compelling, funny...the most real novel I have read
Review: A few minutes ago I was listening to an interview with Jane Smiley. She said that one of the functions of The Novel, as an experience that is simultaneously public and private, is to be morally subversive. The Piano Teacher is a perfect example.The protagonist is profoundly f*cked up, yet she is an extrememly clear-eyed and incisive witness to the society around her. Her inner darkness is an important part of any real, complex personality, but it is generally ignored in the stories we tell and hear.This is an amazing translation from the original German, in that much of the humor involves language play. The translator (Joachim Neugroschel) deserves recognition.This purchase was as a gift for a friend. It is one of those books.
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