–review by Kara, teen reviewer

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque

five-stars

Paul Baumer was convinced to join the war by his school teacher. But the war he joined would later be named the “The Great War,” or World War I. Baumer fights on the German side.

This has been named “The Greatest War Novel of All Time” and it’s easy to see why. It is told in a way that does not ask for pity or mercy, but in a way that conveys the loss all young soldiers have to contend with, the loss of their future. Young men who fought in World War I are considered the “lost generation” and in this novel, Remarque paints a picture of a young man who epitomizes this epithet.
The battles scenes show Baumer’s fear and survival instincts. The moments in between battles shows a soldier’s yearnings. Baumer’s friendships with his fellow soldiers shows the camaraderie that keeps them alive. This novel shows the different aspects of war, from battle in the frontlines, to trips home (leave), to hospitalization, to the death that surrounds them all the time.

Overall, I think anyone who doesn’t know much about World War I, or even the devastation of any war, should to read it. 5 stars. –Kara, teen reviewer.

 


 

Find the book in our library:  All Quiet on the Western Front