Walpurgisnacht by Meyrink
Walpurgisnacht (1917)
by Gustav Meyrink, translated by Mike Mitchell
169 pages - Dedalus
The setting is Prague during the Great War. The Czechs are crowded into the city, constantly disgruntled, while in the hills above them the German aristocracy sit in luxury and hold power. As we follow the lives of several people, a series of events leads to a chaotic violent uprising.
The story sounds like it could be interesting, but the text actually mostly follows the dull lives of the aristocracy, with events, for the most part, being glimpsed from a distance. The tone is sometimes serious, sometimes comic, and sometimes briefly gets into pseudo-mystical speculation. Meyrink doesn't think much of the ruling classes, but he doesn't see anything better in the communists and anarchists that are trying to stir up the masses - it's just presented as exploiting the dark and violent side of man so that a different group of people can become the irresponsible rulers.
The book felt very rushed and awkward, though it's hard to know if this is the original text, or the translation . It's just not a very engaging read, and was quite disappointing.
by Gustav Meyrink, translated by Mike Mitchell
169 pages - Dedalus
The setting is Prague during the Great War. The Czechs are crowded into the city, constantly disgruntled, while in the hills above them the German aristocracy sit in luxury and hold power. As we follow the lives of several people, a series of events leads to a chaotic violent uprising.
The story sounds like it could be interesting, but the text actually mostly follows the dull lives of the aristocracy, with events, for the most part, being glimpsed from a distance. The tone is sometimes serious, sometimes comic, and sometimes briefly gets into pseudo-mystical speculation. Meyrink doesn't think much of the ruling classes, but he doesn't see anything better in the communists and anarchists that are trying to stir up the masses - it's just presented as exploiting the dark and violent side of man so that a different group of people can become the irresponsible rulers.
The book felt very rushed and awkward, though it's hard to know if this is the original text, or the translation . It's just not a very engaging read, and was quite disappointing.