The Post Office Girl

I only review a fraction of the number of books I read, so I don't give this compliment lightly. Summary, no spoilers: Let me start off by saying that it is difficult to give a good review of this book without slight spoilers - but I will do my best and try to still give a flavor of what makes this such a memorable read. This *gorgeously* written novel starts off with a brilliant description of a desolate country post office in Austria, in 1926. Working in this depressing bureaucratic hell, is a 28 year old woman named Christine, who has been beaten down by poverty, dullness and tedium in her life. Christine had a much different childhood; her family had substantial means and lived comfortably, and she grew up a happy and content child. But all changed with the Great War, and they, like so many other Europeans, lost everything. All that remains to Christine is her job with the post office, and taking care of her sick mother in a depressing and decrepit attic room. She is devoid of hope, and that is part of the key to this fantastic story. While toiling at the post office, Christine gets a telegraph message from her aunt in America - a woman she's never met. The wealthy aunt offers her a vacation at an expensive and elegant Alpine resort. Christine immediately runs to her mother to find out if this is real, and her mother explains that it is, and that her sister (the aunt) wanted her to go, but that she couldn't because she couldn't travel and that she should take Christine. Christine, utterly flummoxed by the thought of any change in the dull routine of her life, packs her small straw suitcase, and takes a train to meet her aunt. The description of Christine's arrival at the hotel are priceless and brilliant. Christine is overwhelmed by the beauty and by the elegance of everything, and she is like Cinderella at the ball. Her aunt (and uncle) are good to her, and dress her in beautiful clothing and have her hair cut in the latest elegant fashion, and have her face made-up. The scene reminded me of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz movie - being primped and taken care of from every angle. Christine is so excited, and so astounded at her ability to feel anything but sadness and tedium, that she cannot sleep for the first night. She feels like her eyes have been opened to the beauty of the world, and she wants to take it all in. This is all from Part One, of this two part novel. If you want absolutely no spoilers, don't read on (and don't read the back cover of the novel) - although I recommend that you do and that it won't take away from your enjoyment of this novel. For me, knowing a little bit in advance only enhanced my reading experience. Part Two is a far different story, although it takes place immediately afterwards. Christine, like Cinderella, has been returned to the hovel, but now it all becomes unbearable because she has experienced and seen the other side. Christine befriends a man named Ferdinand, a bitter war veteran, who shares her world-view and despondency. They try to see each other and have a relationship, but this is not easy in post-war Austria, when one doesn't have any money or means. But they make plans... There are so many things to love about this book - number one being that it's just so beautifully written. There are paragraphs that I read over and over again, just because of Zweig's ability to string words together to get across a feeling or an idea or a description are just so perfect. And yet this is a translation, to boot! It makes me want to learn German, just so I could read this in its native language. Secondly, this is an astute novel about what it's like to live without hope, and what happens when someone who has nothing is given this chance to see what the good life is like, and then have it taken away from them. Is it better not to have been given this chance at all? Needless to say, this novel is highly recommended. I also highly recommend another NYRB Classic release, "Beware of Pity", Zweig's first novel released under this label. He is fast becoming my favorite author, and I hope that all of his books and stories become available in English. Sadly, he and his wife committed suicide in 1942 in Brazil, haunted by what was happening in his native Austria and Germany.

In The Post-Office Girl (New York Review Books Classics) the reader is taken on a journey with Cinderella, albeit one drenched in the reality of Austria sandwiched between the Great War and the Nazi uprisings of the 1930's. Stefan Zweig's twist also gives us a part II. What might happen the night after when things don't go well? Zweig didn't start with "Once upon a time" and he won't end with "they lived happily ever after". Thus an interesting story is born. Christine is described as young girl but really a woman (28 years), from a prosperous happy family in the pre-War Austro-Hungarian empire who slides into wartime destitution and finally just part of the mass of post war working poor. Suddenly she is touched by great wealth and given a chance to let her beauty and charm flow out and be recognized only to suddenly crash back to reality. Zweig creates a family history around Christine including a rich Aunt back in Europe from America many years after leaving for her own potentially scandalous reasons. Christine's aunt invites her on holiday in Switzerland and her first taste of luxury. Fancy dresses, lofty conversation, new relationships, friendships and potential romance all collide transforming Christine from a tired, plain postal worker into literally the prettiest princess. In Zweig's tale "midnight" comes when Christine's aunt fears for her own position in society and sends Christine physically and emotionally careening back to her drab, nearly hopeless life. At that point Part II begins. How Christine handles the crushing reality of everyday life having seen how the other half lives was more interesting to me. Perhaps because we all know something of Cinderella the second part of the book lent itself to a more unpredictable and provocative path where Christine is increasingly embittered each time she senses a better life might be lead than her own. Zweig is said to have written the story in 2 parts and years apart. I think he was less convincing in part I, I found his early portrait of Christine less convincing on how she how transforms into a giddy silly girl drunk on her new place in society. Maybe making her 28 was a too old for me to buy into one so easily changing identity but in the second part I saw a person that could hold and cultivate anger, self absorption and depression. It seemed credible and attention grabbing. The story seemed to speed up. Her new relationships - more accommodations then friendships act to reinforce her own feelings of being cheated and further poisoning her mind. I found the story ultimately quite satisfying including the sudden ending which did not leave me feeling short changed but rather it felt like an opportunity for readers to reach their own conclusions of which any number of paths may seem inevitable and that's quite a trick.

This is one of the most descriptive books I have ever read! It is set in Austria post-war and Christl lives a dull, poverty-stricken existence looking after her ailing mother. A wealthy relative invites her to a luxurious resort to spend time with them - will this make her or break her? So well told, yet the abruptness of the ending made me wonder if part of the book was missing (my only criticism).

It started off well, realistic, sober, continued reasonably but now the heroine has become so stupid I probably won't read any more.

Loved the book the chess of the same author and loving this one too. Both are different yet the narration style is same .

This is a deeply satisfying, but at the same time a deeply unsettling piece of masterful writing. Many years ago I read the original book in German, but now have found that this exquisite English translation fits extremely well to Zweig's style of story-telling. Some commentators have likened `The Post Office Girl' to Cinderella, but whereas the latter is story is full of sweet sentiments, Zweig manages to recreate the hardship and despair of many people in Central Europe after the horrors of the First World War. In some ways a very simple story - little people trying to find their own identity and struggling against the society who have condemned them to an immutable fate. Therefore on the one hand an easy book to read, but on the other leaves you with a deep impression. A MUST Read for all lovers of satisfying and thought-provoking literature.

Stefan Zweig is one of the greatest authors of the 20th century. If you have not read anything from him, this book is a great starting point. The characters are briliantly portrayed and Zweig provides a superb feeling for life in post-war Vienna. The book is, however, depressing.