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levendir1021's review against another edition
3.0
Actual rating: 3.25/5
"I know that love is one thing, and lust or the fascination of beauty, quite another, but they are often mistaken for the same thing."
Devdas is a story about love, unrequited love. And a man who is the orchestrator of his own misery.
Honestly, I didn't enjoy the start of this book at all. Devdas is mean and unlikely and I could not understand why Parvati likes him as much as she does. Someone else has suggested Stockholm syndrome and I would say that that isn't all to unrealistic.
I'm glad I pushed through though because in a way he gets what he deserves and so does she and I actually really ended up enjoying the ending.
Sadly this book is lacking all the brilliance of an actual Bollywood film. And I don't mean that we can't physically see it but that also the description gives nothing of the sort. The fact that it's a novella doesn't help in this regard as it's solely focused on the love story with very little around it, leaving a lot of room for interpretation. At many times is felt as if it was just the backbone of an amazing story that someone should eventually work around and bring it to life (and maybe that is what the films do) but it feels very rushed here. I constantly felt that I wanted more character depth and slower story progression which is why I'd say that this book suffers from serious pacing issues, especially at the start, it does get better as it goes on.
All that criticism aside, I felt that it was a lovely little story after we got over the protagonist's childhood and there were many moments that struck me as very realistic yet sometimes sad. And I was strangely satisfied (for lack of a better word) with how it all ended.
One little comment on the side, the eBook version has quite a few formating errors and I even spotted a grammar error or two, hence I would recommend reading a physical copy instead (in any case, avoid the translation by Devjani Huggins).
While I wasn't completely blown away by this story, it has certainly intrigued me to look more into Bengali literature.
"I know that love is one thing, and lust or the fascination of beauty, quite another, but they are often mistaken for the same thing."
Devdas is a story about love, unrequited love. And a man who is the orchestrator of his own misery.
Honestly, I didn't enjoy the start of this book at all. Devdas is mean and unlikely and I could not understand why Parvati likes him as much as she does. Someone else has suggested Stockholm syndrome and I would say that that isn't all to unrealistic.
I'm glad I pushed through though because in a way he gets what he deserves and so does she and I actually really ended up enjoying the ending.
Sadly this book is lacking all the brilliance of an actual Bollywood film. And I don't mean that we can't physically see it but that also the description gives nothing of the sort. The fact that it's a novella doesn't help in this regard as it's solely focused on the love story with very little around it, leaving a lot of room for interpretation. At many times is felt as if it was just the backbone of an amazing story that someone should eventually work around and bring it to life (and maybe that is what the films do) but it feels very rushed here. I constantly felt that I wanted more character depth and slower story progression which is why I'd say that this book suffers from serious pacing issues, especially at the start, it does get better as it goes on.
All that criticism aside, I felt that it was a lovely little story after we got over the protagonist's childhood and there were many moments that struck me as very realistic yet sometimes sad. And I was strangely satisfied (for lack of a better word) with how it all ended.
One little comment on the side, the eBook version has quite a few formating errors and I even spotted a grammar error or two, hence I would recommend reading a physical copy instead (in any case, avoid the translation by Devjani Huggins).
While I wasn't completely blown away by this story, it has certainly intrigued me to look more into Bengali literature.
jamiesullireads's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
adrianamireia's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
heather_freshparchment's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting read. Devdas is meant to be fairly unlikeable, and often he is downright abusive, but I loved the two women in this story and their insights into the injustices of being a woman in the early 1900s, especially in India and Bangladesh.
natii4u's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
barnabhkalita's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I hate devdas's character . i loved chandramukhi and her opinion's on women , and no opinion on paro , although i did like her rebellious nature in the beggining
ns3153's review against another edition
3.0
In stark contrast to Sanjay Leela Bhansali's adaptation, Devdas' character in the original leaves a taste in one's mouth more bitter than the most bootleg Calcutta liquor he manages to find. Irrationally abusive towards Parvati nearly from birth, his comeuppance elicits so little of the sympathy typically appropriate for a weary anti-hero; instead, the reader will likely feel his grisly end justly deserved. I was also surprised to learn that many of the film's pivotal scenes and characterizations were innovations on the part of Bhansali; such is the case with Sumitra's dishonorable nautanki lineage and her public embarrassment at the hands of Kaushalya (not even named in the normal, as far as I remember). The novel is left with little to its merit in contemporary readers' eyes besides historical novelty. Gripping as it is in plot structure, the psychological motivation of many of its characters remain poorly addressed or buttressed by misogynistic violence. Perhaps I would've enjoyed it more if Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's intent of narrative as social commentary was evident beyond the shock-and-awe depiction of alcoholism's evils.
jsingh's review against another edition
4.0
I loved how real the author made Devdas; he is flawed, raw, and child-like. Then again, does Devdas represent something? To me, he is an extreme state of living in the face of not getting what his heart desires. Similar to Hamlet, Devdas is prone to inaction. However, unlike Hamlet, Devdas rarely introspects or contemplates his future actions. Devdas fails to act because it's his nature. Like that of Shiva (as the prelude aptly discusses), Devdas' nature is to remain a witness to the destruction he causes while his consorts (Parvati and Chandra, both of which are Shiva's real wives) are active in the world, creating a play. As one reads in "Devdas," Parvati and Chandra serve as nuclei in society--they are central to and drivers of societal functions (e.g. charity, family life).
lisa_brg's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.5
I adore Parvati and Chandramukhi as much as I hate Devdas (and he is even more horrible in the novel than in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's movie). Still, this book is a must-read for me! Some of Chandramukhi's utterances are absolutely poignant and magnificent.