4/23/2021

Das Leben Ein Ewiger Traum by Helene Sommerfeld

I don´t know whether it was the cover style or the excerpt I read that made me request this novel. Anyway. I read it within a reading round and I saw in the chat room many interesting thoughts and opinions about it. And I can say for sure, you will either love or not love this novel. If you are in for a story set in the 1920s, and like stereotypical characters, this could be your book. For me, it turned out to be a disappointment. Sad, but true.

Das Leben Ein Ewiger Traum

by Helene Sommerfeld
Die Polizeiärztin #1
Publisher dtv Verlag on March 18, 2021
Genre Novel
Pages 531
Format Paperback with flaps
Source dtv Verlag/ Lovelybooks
Goodreads
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Berlin 1920: Shortly after the dark years of the war, the big city got haywire. As a newly qualified police doctor, Magda Fuchs initially only gets to know the dark side of the glittering metropolis. However, she soon realizes that this is the time for women to take their lives into their own hands. Ina, the carer, becomes a friend of hers who cares just as little about conventions as lawyer Ruth. Celia, who tries to free herself from a forced marriage, wages a real fight against tradition. The very young Doris, however, dreams of becoming famous. In the middle of the cold-hearted metropolis, Magda has to assert herself. When she least expected it, a fateful encounter changes everything … (personal translation by ©Vi at Inkvotary).

Story

The moment Magda steps outside the train and walks into the big city, she learns the hard way that not every nice-looking kid is a good one. Her luggage gets stolen and so she starts her new life with only a few clothes and her handbag. She does not mind at first, that she is only asked to a scene when a little child needs her help. But when she realizes that most of her colleagues don´t take her seriously the way she wants them to, she starts to change her plans and find ways to make them respect her and her work.

Style

I LOVE this Berlin snout, as we like to call the special Berlin dialect here in Germany. Far from being standard German, it sometimes contains words that literally made me laugh out loud while reading. The scenes and dialogues with this type of dialect were fantastic. Otherwise, the writing style is easy to read, old-fashioned but suitable for this time, and unfortunately a bit flat, if not to say almost boring. The cliffhanger at the end was completely unexpected and came after a really uncomfortable scene. I also thought it was a shame that there were hardly any surprises or unexpected twists, apart from the one at the end of the book.

Characters

Magda is a widow. She lost her husband and is now looking for a new start. The way how she handles the situation, how she is making her stand in a world where men rule, is remarkable to watch. But Magda is also very naive and accordingly behaves innocently. I found myself very often shaking my head in disbelief while watching her do her work. She is a wonderful figure and to see how she changes during the ongoing plot and how she learns to stand her ground in Berlin was wonderful to read. I hope she will find her happiness in Berlin.

Unfortunately, I also have to say that the individual characters are otherwise very stereotypical. Although they are created extremely harmoniously in themselves. That puts a stamp on the story that I would rather not have noticed.

Conclusion

Despite the fact, that I enjoyed watching the main character and seeing her get along with the police, I can´t say I am thrilled with this novel. The writing style turned out to be one I don´t like very much. Reading the excerpt, I still had the impression that the style would be easy to read, entertaining, and at the same time calm. Well, the actual novel turned out to be pale, and kind of dry. So, unfortunately, I have to say that this book was just average for me. Whether I will read the second part is currently still in the stars. Too bad. I promised myself a little more of that.

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Lovelybooks/ dtv Verlag in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. The novel was, at the time this review was published, only available in the German language.

Deutsche Rezension

 

Stil

Ich liebe diese Berliner Schnauze, wie wir hier in Deutschland den besonderen Berliner Dialekt gerne nennen. Er ist weit davon entfernt, Standard-Deutsch zu sein und enthält manchmal Wörter, wo ich beim Lesen buchstäblich laut Lachen musste. Die Szenen und Dialoge mit dieser Art von Dialekt waren fantastisch. Ansonsten ist der Schreibstil leicht zu lesen, altmodisch, aber passend für diese Zeit, und leider etwas flach, um nicht zu sagen, fast schon langweilig. Der Cliffhänger an Ende kam völlig unerwartet und nach einer wirklich unangenehmen Szene. Schade fand ich auch, dass es kaum Überraschungen oder unerwartete Wendungen gab, außer der am Buchende.

Charaktere

Magda ist Witwe. Sie hat ihren Mann verloren und sucht nun einen Neuanfang. Es ist bemerkenswert zu beobachten, wie sie mit der Situation umgeht, wie sie sich in einer Welt, in der Männer herrschen, positioniert. Magda ist aber auch sehr naiv und verhält sich dementsprechend arglos. Ich schüttelte oft ungläubig den Kopf, während ich ihr bei ihrer Arbeit zuschaute. Sie ist eine wundervolle Figur und zu sehen, wie sie sich während der laufenden Handlung verändert und wie sie lernt, sich in Berlin zu behaupten, war wunderbar zu lesen. Ich hoffe, sie findet ihr Glück in Berlin.

Leider sind die einzelnen Figuren ansonsten sehr stereotyp. Obwohl sie in sich äußerst harmonisch kreiert sind. Das drückt der Geschichte einen Stempel auf, den ich lieber nicht bemerkt hätte.

Resultat

Trotz der Tatsache, dass ich es genossen habe, die Hauptfigur zu beobachten und zu sehen, wie sie sich bei der Polizei zurechtfindet, kann ich nicht sagen, dass ich von diesem Roman begeistert bin. Der Schreibstil erwies sich als einer, den ich nicht sehr mag. Beim Lesen der Leseprobe hatte ich noch den Eindruck, dass der Still leicht zu lesen, unterhaltsam und gleichzeitig ruhig sein würde. Nun, der eigentliche Roman erwies sich als blass und irgendwie trocken. Leider muss ich sagen, dass dieses Buch für mich nur durchschnittlich war. Ob ich den zweiten Teil lesen werde, steht derzeit noch in den Sternen. Schade.

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