The Novel: An Introduction

“In addition to an extensive list of "References" and an "Index of Authors and Critics," Bode also offers a useful list of "Further Reading" materials containing titles on narratology and literary criticism in general, as well as information on literary and cultural theory. Thus, Bode's The Novel: An Introduction is a highly readable, at times quite amusing, very learned and extremely well researched study of the most important literary genre of modern times.”  (Anglistik, 2 September 2012)

“Christoph Bode’s The Novel, which is a translation of Der Roman, is a great introduction to the study of the novel. It is comprehensive, well-written, lucid, and to the point.”  (Zeitschrift für Anglistik und Amerikanistik, 2012)

 “Moreover, Bode’s clarifications of concepts, jargon and theories, as well as his persuasive emphasis on the ‘possibilities of the generation and construction of meaning’ (p. 256), will make the reader return to this multi-layered and meaningful introduction.”  (European Review of History: Revue europeenne d'histoire, 6 July 2012)

"This book serves as a comprehensive introduction to the more technical aspects of the theory of the novel". (Times Higher Education Supplement, 17 March 2011)

"With the provocative question "What do you expect?" Christoph Bode sets the tone for this delightful guide to the experience of novel-reading. Ranging from the beginnings of the European novel to twenty-first-century fiction, drawing examples from English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, and Scandinavian literature, and explicating European and Anglo-American narratological theories, this erudite book remains eminently accessible thanks to its focus on fundamental questions: How do stories begin – and why? Why does fiction evoke reality? How does a narrative manipulate time? Who speaks – and can we believe him or her? What is a symbol and why does it matter? Above all: what's the difference between one way of telling a story and another? In a refreshingly lively style, Bode's The Novel shows students and readers how to ask meaningful questions about the choices that authors make and how to make sense out of the answers."
—Angela Esterhammer, University of Zurich

"As a compendious introduction both to the reading of novels themselves and to criticism of the novel as a narrative form, Christoph Bode's book serves a purpose not readily met by other studies, and it will appeal to undergraduates, graduate students, and their instructors alike. Appealingly wide-ranging in his choice of illustrative texts, Bode offers us tools for understanding how the narrative techniques of novels affect their content. While the book's topical arrangement facilitates selective reading, its lively and accessible style, nicely preserved in this translation, amply rewards sequential reading."
—Nicholas Halmi, University College Oxford