We often have heard or seen war through a different lens, and most of us haven’t ever actually
been in one. However, soldiers are the ones who, by default, experience war firsthand. Every war
noted in history is concerned about the outcomes, what major authority figures think, or the
events throughout the war; however, the individuality, emotions, and existence of soldiers
themselves are often looked upon. Ironically, they are the ones who go through the most trauma,
risk their lives, and experience a lifetime of horrors that is nearly impossible to describe merely
with words. To me, that’s what this novel meant, and Remarque puts this in words that best
describe what soldiers go through. Paul, the main character, is a soldier in war and through
beautiful language that describes the dehumanization of soldiers and their comrades, this book
highlights the part of a war that is never truly dissected. I highly recommend reading more about
the author (Erich Maria Remarque) since his history is connected to this novel. For me, this novel
was eye-opening and allowed me to view the ways of war from a different perspective. In the
end, I came to one conclusion — for soldiers, war is a command and not a desire because they all
are humans who want peace. This book was, well, very depressing — but I truly loved how the
author put these indescribable experiences into words that made me understand and feel a variety
of emotions. Overall, I rate this book 4.5/5.