The Sorrows of Young WertherThe Sorrows of Young Werther
Score Classic
What it's about
Visiting an idyllic German village, sensitive young Werther falls for sweet-natured Lotte, who is to marry Albert, and his passion torments him to the point of despair.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It was the first great confessional novel.
You'll love it if you liked
First Love
Frankenstein
The Age of InnocenceGood to know
It's short and intense.
By the numbers
- Readers6 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller28 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
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Quick answers
Is The Sorrows of Young Werther worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #2,933 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 54.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Sorrows of Young Werther about?
Visiting an idyllic German village, sensitive young Werther falls for sweet-natured Lotte, who is to marry Albert, and his passion torments him to the point of despair.
How long does it take to read The Sorrows of Young Werther?
About 4 hours (144 pages), or about 8 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Sorrows of Young Werther?
If you liked it, try First Love by Ivan Turgenev, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley or The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton.