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All Quiet on the Western Front
by Erich Maria Remarque

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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/355697.All_Quiet_on_the_Western_Front?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_review" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="All Quiet on the Western Front" border="0" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/photo.goodreads.com/books/1174044948m/355697.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/355697.All_Quiet_on_the_Western_Front?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">All Quiet on the Western Front</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4116.Erich_Maria_Remarque">Erich Maria Remarque</a> 
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/21880784?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review"><h3>My review</h3></a>
 rating: 5 of 5 stars ‘The greatest war novel of all time’ is a huge understatement, possibly even an insult to Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front. It is more than just a great war novel – it is maybe truly the greatest novel ever, period. War is the obvious main theme, but it must not be read as a war novel to fully understand the powerful message hidden behind the actions of war in this novel. 
 Paul Baumer, the protagonist of this novel is pretty much your typical German nineteen year old teenage boy. The only difference is World War 1 breaks out and he, along with his classmates, unwittingly enlists himself.
 There are several deaths suffered in this book and every single one has beautiful powerful symbolism connected to it. For instance, Major Kemmerich’s boots that were left behind after he died, even though he wanted to carry with him afterlife, is symbolism of how during a war, little things mean the most. The fact the boots were forced left behind by doctors signifies how war deaths are kind of moved aside like it means nothing. 
 This book was very interesting for me to read, not only because of the war theme but also because I’m American. I picked this book up and read it briefly before I figured out he was German, and it definitely gave me mixed feelings. I was not sure if I should support him and sympathize with him because he set out for the war that pits Germany against America. As I read on, I stopped seeing him as a German boy fighting against American soldiers and started seeing him as a boy fighting in a war. This book has vast impact after impact; I did not see any coming. It had no foreshadowing at all, so when something significant happened, it hit me and left me shell shocked, wanting to read more to find out what happens afterward. I don’t think any other novel ever had that kind of impact on me – for a while after I finished it, I found myself thinking back to the novel. You will feel part of the action, guaranteed - it was such an adrenaline rush to read this. I didn't want to rush through; I wanted to really read it and feel it. Just a complete page-turner for me... I LOVED IT.
 It’s not just a war novel – it is a champion novel with champion characters. A wonderful story of growing up fast during bleak times and death, faith, and courage and a bonus shocking ending.
 
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1149603?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">View all my reviews.</a>

Andrea's review
rating:
recommended for: EVERYONE

‘The greatest war novel of all time’ is a huge understatement, possibly even an insult to Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front. It is more than just a great war novel – it is maybe truly the greatest novel ever, period. War is the obvious main theme, but it must not be read as a war novel to fully understand the powerful message hidden behind the actions of war in this novel.
Paul Baumer, the protagonist of this novel is pretty much your typical German nineteen year old teenage boy. The only difference is World War 1 breaks out and he, along with his classmates, unwittingly enlists himself.
There are several deaths suffered in this book and every single one has beautiful powerful symbolism connected to it. For instance, Major Kemmerich’s boots that were left behind after he died, even though he wanted to carry with him afterlife, is symbolism of how during a war, little things mean the most. The fact the boots were forced left behind by doctors signifies h...more ‘The greatest war novel of all time’ is a huge understatement, possibly even an insult to Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front. It is more than just a great war novel – it is maybe truly the greatest novel ever, period. War is the obvious main theme, but it must not be read as a war novel to fully understand the powerful message hidden behind the actions of war in this novel.
Paul Baumer, the protagonist of this novel is pretty much your typical German nineteen year old teenage boy. The only difference is World War 1 breaks out and he, along with his classmates, unwittingly enlists himself.
There are several deaths suffered in this book and every single one has beautiful powerful symbolism connected to it. For instance, Major Kemmerich’s boots that were left behind after he died, even though he wanted to carry with him afterlife, is symbolism of how during a war, little things mean the most. The fact the boots were forced left behind by doctors signifies how war deaths are kind of moved aside like it means nothing.
This book was very interesting for me to read, not only because of the war theme but also because I’m American. I picked this book up and read it briefly before I figured out he was German, and it definitely gave me mixed feelings. I was not sure if I should support him and sympathize with him because he set out for the war that pits Germany against America. As I read on, I stopped seeing him as a German boy fighting against American soldiers and started seeing him as a boy fighting in a war. This book has vast impact after impact; I did not see any coming. It had no foreshadowing at all, so when something significant happened, it hit me and left me shell shocked, wanting to read more to find out what happens afterward. I don’t think any other novel ever had that kind of impact on me – for a while after I finished it, I found myself thinking back to the novel. You will feel part of the action, guaranteed - it was such an adrenaline rush to read this. I didn't want to rush through; I wanted to really read it and feel it. Just a complete page-turner for me... I LOVED IT.
It’s not just a war novel – it is a champion novel with champion characters. A wonderful story of growing up fast during bleak times and death, faith, and courage and a bonus shocking ending.
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