Book Review: "A Whole Life" by Robert Seethaler
Updated: Oct 11, 2022
5/5 stars
Perfect. Amazing. Stunning. Really made me think about life and what makes one happy. Seethaler's prose is simple yet powerful, and Andreas is a relatable, flesh-and-blood character who makes you feel for him. Immensely.
Andreas has always been alone. A bastard, he is taken in by a cruel man who forces him to do hard labour from an early age. The man also frequently hits him. Once, he hits him so hard that he breaks a bone. As a result, Andreas develops a permanent limp.
Once he reaches 18, however, Andreas fights back and leaves. He eventually becomes a labourer for different companies. Along the way, he meets different people, but no one really makes a large impact on his life except for his future wife, Marie, who works at a nearby inn.