Certainly not one of Hesse's best by a long shot, and the Peter Owen edition has a complete summary of the entire plot, spoilers and all, in the blurb on the back. Sad to say, and I'm not sure if it was just the translation, but it was just as emotionally devastating as the entire story.Definitely not a novel I'd recommend to anyone approaching Hesse's works for the first time.That being said, it still is a thoughtful read with some decent ideas and a powerful message, but it felt a bit flat especially toward the end.
 - Hermann Hesse)
