The rat

by Günter Grass

A major new work from Germany's greatest modern writer, this wildly imaginative yet superbly told novel revives some of Grass's most famous characters from his novels The Tin Drum, Headbirths, and The Flounder, as it tells the story of a female rat who engages the narrator in a series of dialogues convincingly demonstrating that the rats will inherit a devastated earth.

More by Günter Grass

Die BlechtrommelGünter Grass
Cat and MouseGünter Grass
Dog YearsGünter Grass
The Tin DrumGünter Grass
CrabwalkGünter Grass
My centuryGünter Grass
Peeling the OnionGünter Grass
From the diary of a snailGünter Grass

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?