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Title: Hardly bearable
Review: Mann's gorgeous, rich prose cannot save this dull, plodding tale from being an ordeal to read. The same density of language which charms the reader in the beginning becomes an irritant as hundreds of pages pass and almost literally nothing happens. Characters are well drawn, but in gloomy colors which evoke no sympathy. Not a single character stands as a hero; few are even likable. The narrator is a long-winded bore. In many respects, Adrian, the subject of this fictitious biography, remains inscrutable to the very end. Having loved THE MAGIC MOUNTAIN, I persevered to the end in the hope of finding something to make the time invested seem worthwhile. I was disappointed.
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