| I was so glad when I discovered Peter Stamm around 2013 or 2014 and was prepared to rank him with my favourite authors. I loved his „On a day like this“ and I really enjoyed two other novels of him published in the early 2000’s. But I already was a bit disappointed by his later book „To the back of beyond“ and I’m also kind of indifferent on this one. It picked up towards the end and altogether I still liked it. But for the most part, I was left wondering why?
I suppose, Stamm is into his late work by now and I refuse to accept that I’m ready for late works already. The Sweet Indifference of the world has this philosophical touch of many late works. Looking back, asking what could have been, would have been. Stamm uses a device that almost could be considered fantasy. Meeting alternate younger selfs, facing similar situations as you did, nudging them slightly to change decisions you perceive as a mistake. Does this make sense or a worthy book? Looking at the shortness of the book, Stamm didn’t know himself if this premise could carry a whole book and stopped at novella size. A good decision as this thought experiment warrants two evening’s read. |