Review of Closely Watched Trains by Bahumil Hrabal

Cover

A novella about a young Milos Hrma working at a train stop in occupied Czechoslovakia in 1945. He is a man up to the point of being a man a someone who just came back from leave after a suicide attempt. Luckily he was rescued by God is disguise as a brick layer.

Sexual accomplish and sexual acts are a big theme in this book. Milos fell short when he first attempted to lose his virginity. He wilted like a lily. But now he is a man. A man through and through. For he didn't wilt like a lily this time.

Oh and there are also some brutal descriptions of dead animals, eyes being poked out, train cars filled with dead and dying cattle, and a train sabotage. Good and interesting book.