Okay, so I'm German and re-discovered reading for me in 2022/2023. As a teen I exclusively read books in my native language, but with time I picked up more and more books in English, as I already consume other media like series, movies, videos and the like in English and also have a few online friends with whom I talk in English. My point is, I think and read and hear more English throughout my week than German. You get the point.
So the obvious conclusion to this is also reading my books in English. As of today, I exclusivly read in English and have a hard time reading in my native language. The books are longer, the translations often seem off and the books are more expensive too (although German books are a haven for sprayed edges and special editions). You all know ACOTAR, right? As I started the series in 2023 I was still nervous about reading fantasy in English, so I read them in German. The first three books were really nice, thanks to the talented translator Alexandra Ernst. But guess what? For A Court of Frost and Starlight the translator changed to a different one and it showed. The whole feel of the book was off. And when I saw, that A Court of Silver Flames had TWO different translators, I switched to English. This honestly ruined the vibes for me and I regret not picking ACOTAR in English in the first place. Again, my point is I also do have reasoning as to why I exclusively read in English.
Now, the overall point to my post is this: a friend of mine who also is an avid reader (yay, I found a book bestie) is lowkey judging me for my choice and said I was hating on German books and authors, if I do not buy or pick up a book just because it is not written in English. I confess, I did do that. If the book was by a German author it was a turn-off for me. Could be that nowadays it is hard to find authors as good as they have been in the past (I think of Kerstin Gier or Cornelia Funke, although I have not read any books by them yet) or the specific genres I am looking for (romantasy, fantasy, dark romance). I have not read something as popular as Maxton Hall, since it completely flew under my radar because…yes, German author.
Does this make me a reading snob?
I love German poetry, I am a huge Goethe fangirl, so I KNOW German is a beautiful language. I want to re-discover that in books too. So, please let us discuss this and maybe you have a book recommendation for me. Let me fall in love with my native language once more.
Thank you for listening to my TED-talk.
by cottageofval
4 Comments
I’m Danish and I exclusively read english books. So you are not alone.
It definitely doesn’t make you a snob and I fear that it’s very common for Europeans to hate our own language and favour English. I agree that it feels weird reading fantasy and sci-fi in translation, so maybe you could try with just regular fiction?
Or even better, look for contemporary German authors and poets and find somebody you vibe with! There’s something for everyone, and German has so many native speakers that there’s bound to be at least one current author you’re going to enjoy.
Just keep looking, and remember to always have an open mind and a curious heart!
I’m from Germany too and I prefer English books for some genres, like mystery or horror. I don’t mind reading other genres in translations. I can definitely recommend Cornelia Funke, especially the Reckless-series. It’s written for a younger audience but still enjoyable for grownups, at least it was for me.
I don’t think reading mainly English books makes you a snob, but it changes what you’re used to. English booms have other tropes and a different cultural background than German ones, so I always have to adjust my reading expectations. I prefer to read German classics in German (no big surprise there I suppose), some of my favourites are Thomas Mann, and I’ve recently discovered Joseph Roth, an Austrian writer from around the same time.
You might have more luck if you are willing to consider genres other than YA & fantasy.