Johann Wolfgang Goethe: Die Leiden des jungen Werthers

OK so first thing, LOOOOLL at that cover! It is not the version I read but I'm keeping it because it's definitely the best cover for this book.

So before I read this book I kind of expected to dislike Werther like I dislike Holden Caulfield...self-centered and annoying. And, yeah, he was pretty self-centered and annoying, but for some reason I kind of sympathized with Werther. He suffered so! I had to feel bad for him!

But really...I didn't. I don't want to diminish the pain of heartbreak, but Werther's really got his head up his ass. He talked about the pain of losing people but never really thought about the pain that his friends and family would feel at losing him. My feeeelings are so stroooong I can't even hold down a job because my feelings are always in the way, oh well, I guess I'll just continue being rich or whatever, but it's STILL SO PAINFUL BECAUSE LOTTE. Plus there was the guy who killed a dude because the woman he loved picked the dude instead of him, and Werther was trying to defend him because he totally understood the guy. And poor Lotte, now she has to live with the fact that her friend killed himself because he thought it would make her life better. That sucks.

I enjoyed reading this book, but I thought Werther could have toned it down a little.