Bendhard Schlink
Reviewed by J. F. Nodar - May 14, 2026
I’ll be honest: The Granddaughter was a drag.
Between the glacial pacing and the self-absorbed characters, I nearly gave up several times, finishing it only for my book club.
The narrator’s lack of scepticism toward his wife’s viewpoint made the story feel flat, and I skimmed through the long-winded descriptions of scenery.
I couldn’t quite wrap my head around Kaspar’s obsession with a granddaughter who was essentially a stranger to him.
It is possible the translation is to blame, but the “Germanic flavour” felt missing, leaving the characters feeling cold and inauthentic.
