FaustFaust
Score Classic
What it's about
Faust, an aging scholar who has studied everything and feels he knows nothing, makes a wager with the devil, Mephistopheles: if the devil can ever give him a moment so satisfying he wants it to last forever, Faust's soul is his. Their pact leads to the seduction of an innocent young woman, Gretchen, and her ruin, and, in the second part, to a vast journey through history and myth.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Bokklubben list of the 100 greatest books and is the masterpiece of German literature. Its story of selling your soul has shaped culture ever since.
You'll love it if you liked
The Divine Comedy
Hamlet
FrankensteinGood to know
It's a long verse play; Part One is far more often read than Part Two. A good modern translation matters.
By the numbers
- Readers14 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics55 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
- #337 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #628 of the 762 classics we rank
- #2188 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Adventurous
If you like this, read next
The Lord of the Rings
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Godfather
The Pillars of the Earth
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
FoundationExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Faust worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Bokklubben list of the 100 greatest books and is the masterpiece of German literature. It ranks #2,188 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 61.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Faust about?
Faust, an aging scholar who has studied everything and feels he knows nothing, makes a wager with the devil, Mephistopheles: if the devil can ever give him a moment so satisfying he wants it to last forever, Faust's soul is his. Their pact leads to the seduction of an innocent young woman, Gretchen, and her ruin, and, in the second part, to a vast journey through history and myth.
How long does it take to read Faust?
About 13 hours (526 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Faust?
If you liked it, try The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, Hamlet by William Shakespeare or Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.