The Death of the Adversary

I doubt there is much to say about this book other than READ IT!

Written by Hans Keilson and set in Germany in the time of World War II - it's onset and during, to be precise - this book is strange, anonymous and engaging. It's a slow read, mind you, as you have to sift through the pages with care lest you may get lost in the timeline. The first person narrative shifts between memories - events and people, that are promised to play larger roles later in the story - and current events.

What had me getting through this novel was the almost ironic manner in which no one is named, a few maybe but not significantly enough given the time period it is set it. But the enemy, the nameless ominous adversary that the narrator battles throughout the novel, rises to such a powerful level to induce literary fear mainly because he's called -.

Keilson describes, very beautifully, mundane activities that no one would really see any beauty in; the main one being how the protagonist sees his job at a department store. His interaction with people, coming to terms with their outlook of the situation and happenings, his relationships, friends and family, all are presented in detail, as he realizes and tries to understand his own feelings of hatred and others' as well.

It's short and sweet and a little tedious, but with so much essence in it, you must take the time to read and understand because it deals, quite fascinatingly, with trying to one man trying to find logic when there is none to be found!