The Aspern Papers

The Aspern Papers is a beautiful novella. I find it hard to put my finger on why it touched me as it did. There’s of course the aesthetics - the writing is just beautiful. The characters are also very compelling. It’s impressive how much of a pageturner it is given how little happens. But I think most of all the ending touched me. The feeling of indecisiveness-induced loss is so human and relatable that it is impossible not to feel for the protagonist, irrespective of what you think of him and his quest.