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3.75

set in east germany in the 80s, kairos tells the story of 19 year old katharina’s relationship with hans, a man 34 years her senior. their passionate and then increasingly toxic and tumultuous love affair serves as an allegory for the dissolution of east germany, and the ambivalence of reunification of the country after the berlin wall fell. it’s a novel which exemplifies the blending of the personal and the political, illustrating the differing generational views on post-ww2 germany and the GDR.

i did think it became quite repetitive around the middle section, but you’ll probably enjoy it if you like literary fiction with a historical and political focus. i’m looking forward to reading more of erpenbeck’s work after this.