The Magician

Very readable and develops the authors personal interpretation of Mann's life.

This is the incredible story of German author Thomas Mann. I kind of fell in love with Mann a little bit, someone who seemingly preferred to be on the outside looking in, didn't really enjoy social gatherings and would rather shut himself away in a room, reading or writhing. Lots to relate to there.

If there is one criticism, I don't think Toibin writes emotion very well. This story is full of love, desire, danger and laughter but non of that shines through. I find his writing really dull, just feels like there is something missing and If I wasn't so intrigued by Mann, I think I would have struggled a little bit.

PS I never new that about Mahler.

This was a brilliant accomplishment, and a fascinating window into the life of Thomas Mann and his family. I learned a great deal, and enjoyed the detail and insights. It did read more like non-fiction, but that was fine for me. I also wondered if it could've been a bit shorter, but perhaps I felt this way because I was listening. The narration was excellent.

A fictionalized biography of Thomas Mann, who's own novels had many autobiographical elements. While this well executed, and a great source of information about Mann and his family, my attention often drifted while the novel lost itself in too many details. It's written like a biography with an insight into Mann's mind. We hear so many conversations, and so many details about their different emigration routes, I would have wished for more magic.