A review by olaolaheia
The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick by Peter Handke

challenging dark fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I'm not sure what to rate this book so i'll put it right in the middle. This book made me feel sick when I finished it and I don't know if it was in a good or bad way. We follow retired goalkeeper Bloch as he navigates life. The sentences in the book feels like they're beating you over the head. No matter what happens the action keeps on rolling. Bloch feels completly unhinged and there is nothing you can do to escape going along on the journey with him, falling into the same unhingedness yourself. Because the book is so impulse-driven it reminded me a lot of Crime and Punishment, but where as Crime and Punishment feels extremly cathartic and binds you closer to humanity as a whole, this book just plunges you into crumbled thought patterns and lets you find your own way back. I don't know if I hate it or love it, but I'm not sure if I ever want to read this book again and 2.5 actually in a weird way feels fitting so I'm just going to go with that and move on