This is a book about love, lust, friendship (or the lack of it) and
how these, often conflicting, emotions interact. The book seems to
be written in the style of a string quartet with different
characters taking the lead in turn. The main players in this love
quartet each bring their own contribution (and weight - or
lightness) to the story. It is also about the meaning and purpose
of life. Once is not enough to be meaningful (einmal ist keinmal).
The existentialist themes of destiny and the search for meaning and
purpose are apparent and drive the characters to their fate.
The relationships among the characters are reflected in the
relationships they have with their country that is going through
its own crisis during the story.
There are many subtleties in the book such as the playing of the
Beethoven string quartet movement (es muss sein - it must be!) when
Tomas and Teresa first meet. Destiny plays a role throughout and
there is much foreshadowing and many seeming coincidences to pull
the reader along. This made the book a good choice for a club and
stimulating for discussion. We have to wonder how much was lost in
translation.