Having started my World War One unit in my history class, I remembered I had read a book on it. All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque is a historical fiction novel I read all the way back in November for my English class. We were given the choices of either reading a book about World War Two or a book about World War One. I made the decision to read the one about World War One, realizing I had barely any information on it in my head. 

All Quiet on the Western Front is set in Germany during World War One following Paul Baumer, his friends and other young men. Throughout the novel, they are slowly losing the spark of fighting they had when they first started. The novel goes in depth on the lost ideologies of war and how they were tricked into becoming patriots of their country, unknowing of what they are fighting for. It’s a gruesome story of loss and reveals the realities of war and what it is like being out on the front lines.

At first, I didn’t really find the novel all that interesting. I am not usually one to watch war films or read war related books. I’ve always been more of a fantasy kind of person. But as I read through this novel, I found more to the simplicity of what I had deemed to be “just a war story.” The novel focuses highly on the small moments outside of war, what happens during battles, what happens to others and the aftermath of war on people. Remarque does a great job on illustrating scenes with her descriptions of the battlefield and the conditions of war back then. We see it when we travel with Paul as he experiences different battlefields, the pain of coming back to and leaving his family, and losses of friends and family. I enjoyed reading this point of view as through Paul’s eyes, I was able to see and live through the emotions and intensity that were experienced in trench warfare and war in general.

However, seeing the ideology of the soldiers fighting in the war was what really interested me. It was the fact that they were young men that didn’t know what they were fighting for that really got me thinking. The strength of nationalism and propaganda on the younger generations is incredibly useful in getting them to do what others want, despite them not truly knowing what they are signing up for. They risk losing their lives and they completely lose their innocence, childhood, and will to live fighting for something they don’t understand; a theme touched throughout the entire novel. I found this theme to be the most striking, something I still remember now even though it’s been a while since I’ve read the book.

While I was skeptical of this book at first, All Quiet on the Western Front was a delightful read. It was difficult at times, because of the strange pacing, but looking back at it now, it really helps to add to the story and pacing of war. I also got to learn more about World War One and what it was like. I definitely recommend this book, for knowledge and the historical portion of it but also because it’s an interesting and emotional read.

-Nicole R. 

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

The novel All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque portrays the events of World War I from the perspective of a German soldier named Paul Bäumer. This shows a new point of view of the war that is often neglected in media.

While the narrative is mostly fiction, the author’s personal experiences in the war heavily influenced the story. So, the book was very accurate in portraying the development of the soldiers and their thoughts as time progressed.

For example, at the story’s beginning, Paul and his comrades, motivated by their school teacher to join the army, are extremely elated at the idea of joining the military. However, by the end, they begin to question what they were fighting for in the first place. A powerful quote reads, “I think it is more of a kind of fever. No one in particular wants it, and then all at once there it is. We didn’t want the war, the others say the same thing and yet half the world is in it all the same”, (Remarque 152).

In addition to the well-developed characters, the figurative language effectively describes the scenery. The claustrophobia and violence in the trenches are displayed through the author’s use of imagery. With the release of the 2022 Netflix film adaptation of the book, it will be interesting to compare Remarque’s descriptions with what has been portrayed on screen.

The scale and perception of time in the book were sometimes difficult to process. Paul and his regiment often traveled to different areas and missions in between chapters, without a clear transition.

Additionally, from Chapter 11 to the end, the story’s pacing begins to increase dramatically, jumping from event to event. However, the main character Paul states that time passes differently on the front lines. So, this critique may have been an artistic choice by the author. 

Overall, the imagery and a well-written ensemble of characters make All Quiet on the Western Front a very enjoyable read.

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.