The Sorrows of young Werther

[Noe24]

...

By Goethe.

If this isn't one of the sweetest and at the same time saddest book ever, i must be mad.

It's the third time that i read it, first time i read it in English. It's just so sensitive, it gets to me.

Anyone has read it and want to share views?

[lucyjad]

I read this after reading Frankenstein. It is such a sad story. I do find that at times I lose sympathy for Werther as he wallows in his desperation. His character reminds me of John Keats and his obsession with Franny.

[skye]

Another book which I read oh so long ago. I do remember feeling sorry for Werther (my school-friend thought he was a stupid idiot) and I did kind of like the book, but I didn't think it was a truly great book either.

Trivia: At university I read in one of my study books that Goethe distanced himself from this book later. In his mature life he found it more important that his works showed mastery in form and balance in contents, so he found Werther too exaggerated and excessive then.