#german classics

Mercedes built a mere 100 CLK DTM Coupes to celebrate their 2003 championship, and they packed a massive punch.

Top pic: my old books, bottom one: my new ones

Bonus: my cat running through the picture:

Die Kleine Hexe / The Little Witch by Otfried Preußler, illustrated by Winnie Gebhard, 1957

JOMP Book Photo Challenge - June - 12/06/25 - Floral

I was recently gifted a few thoughtful tokens of appreciation - among them, Arthur Schnitzler’s Dream Story.

Das Fräulein von Scuderi by E. T. A. Hoffmann

Finished: 22nd April, 2025

Genre: Fiction

May be for you if you like: Strong female leads, social commentary, discussions of the nature of evil, discussions of justice

Synopsis

A strain of mysterious murder-robberies shocks 17th century France: Unsuspecting people are stabbed at night and then robbed of their jewellery. Lady Scuderi, a respected and elderly poet, is dragged into the case by coincidence, she opposes the judge and uncovers the truth behind it all.

Review

Another review of a German classic! Das Fräulein von Scuderi is a fascinating study of the nature of good and evil, and a harsh criticism of the feuderal justice system!

In a swift and captivating narration with believable red-herrings and a good portion of humor, Hoffmann paints a picture of crime-ridden, paranoid France. After a respected goldsmith is murdered, the public is outraged and wants to see someone hang. The judge, after several failed attempts at capturing the notorious murderer, just wants to keep his reputation intact. So only Lady Scuderi seems to have it in her to get to the truth of things - and so she opposes everyone in order to get the wrongfully convicted Olivier an acquittal.

The themes of justice and class are very prevalent in this narration, as they shape significant portions of the plot and drive home the explicit, bold criticism of the systems in place. Lady Scuderi, a respected, rich, educated woman who frequents the company of King Louis XIV, still stumbles in the face of said system despite her privileges. Yet, her unyielding belief in truth and justice compels her to try as hard as she can.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel a lot and can wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who is interested in a compelling detective story with a regal backdrop and tons of social commentary!

Rating: 🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁

Plot and Storylines: 🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁

Characters and Relationships: 🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁

Writing Style and Narration: 🧁🧁🧁🧁🧁

Setting and Worldbuilding: 🧁🧁🧁🧁

„Aus Scherz hat dieses Buch den Titel »Deutschland über alles« bekommen, jenen törichten Vers eines großmäuligen Gedichts. Nein, Deutschland steht nicht über allem und ist nicht über allem – niemals. Aber mit allen soll es sein, unser Land. Und hier stehe das Bekenntnis, in das dieses Buch münden soll: Ja, wir lieben dieses Land.“