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aguialourenco's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
Ótimo livro. O autor tem uma grande capacidade de nos colocar dentro dos pensamentos e confusões vividas por Julien
anto's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
teresatumminello's review against another edition
4.0
Oh, nineteenth century!
Not counting the subtitle—'A Chronicle of the 19th Century' (which I didn’t know of until just now: it’s not on the cover or the title page of either copy of the book I have on hand)—I count eight mentions of the phrase ‘nineteenth century’ by the omniscient narrator, of which two are apostrophes, including the quote above, which is from one of the later chapters. Revolution and the turmoil of change in the world has led to this lamentation, in much the same way our generation has lamented and continues to lament the condition of the twentieth- and twenty-first centuries: e.g., its treatment of women; the suppression of the spirited by the powerful; the state of marriage; the hypocrisy and lack of empathy at all levels. Once again, there is nothing new in the world.
The prose is engaging and moves quickly (though the typos and formatting mistakes of my almost-free Kindle copy, frustratingly, did get in my way quite a bit). I especially enjoyed the sarcasm of the authorial interludes and the ingenious tying-together of threads and characters as the work reached its end.
The book was nothing like I’d expected. I had a vague notion it would be a dry, perhaps violent, political read. It's neither dry nor violent, except for the main character’s violent emotions; and it is intentionally, and entertainingly, farcical at times (i.e., the bedroom scenes). It is political, but its focus is on the personal (including the psychology of those personalities) within that dynamic.
Overall, it’s an uneven read; ultimately, it's a fascinating one.
Not counting the subtitle—'A Chronicle of the 19th Century' (which I didn’t know of until just now: it’s not on the cover or the title page of either copy of the book I have on hand)—I count eight mentions of the phrase ‘nineteenth century’ by the omniscient narrator, of which two are apostrophes, including the quote above, which is from one of the later chapters. Revolution and the turmoil of change in the world has led to this lamentation, in much the same way our generation has lamented and continues to lament the condition of the twentieth- and twenty-first centuries: e.g., its treatment of women; the suppression of the spirited by the powerful; the state of marriage; the hypocrisy and lack of empathy at all levels. Once again, there is nothing new in the world.
The prose is engaging and moves quickly (though the typos and formatting mistakes of my almost-free Kindle copy, frustratingly, did get in my way quite a bit). I especially enjoyed the sarcasm of the authorial interludes and the ingenious tying-together of threads and characters as the work reached its end.
The book was nothing like I’d expected. I had a vague notion it would be a dry, perhaps violent, political read. It's neither dry nor violent, except for the main character’s violent emotions; and it is intentionally, and entertainingly, farcical at times (i.e., the bedroom scenes). It is political, but its focus is on the personal (including the psychology of those personalities) within that dynamic.
Overall, it’s an uneven read; ultimately, it's a fascinating one.
thedistortionist's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Violence, and Classism
Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy
Minor: Gun violence, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
marc129's review against another edition
3.0
Stylistic: very recognizable characters, but not always very consistent (real archetypes: m. de Renal, abbé de Frilair, Marquis de la Mole etc). There's a noteworthy use of the monologue intérieure, especially in part 2. And on the whole this novel contains clear romantic traits.
Notable female figures: Mathilde and Mme de Renal (no first name), headstrong, decisive, worldly.
The main character of course is Julien, symbol of the struggle against the civil order, but he's depicted as cunning and not without malice (he is not depicted as a sympathetic figure).
There's also a political element: nostalgia for the golden, illustrious Napoleonic era, when there were 'real' men.
Notable female figures: Mathilde and Mme de Renal (no first name), headstrong, decisive, worldly.
The main character of course is Julien, symbol of the struggle against the civil order, but he's depicted as cunning and not without malice (he is not depicted as a sympathetic figure).
There's also a political element: nostalgia for the golden, illustrious Napoleonic era, when there were 'real' men.
sozcariz's review against another edition
5.0
Una de las experiencias de lectura mas cautivadoras de mi vida. Obra maestra
notter's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
billie_yankie's review against another edition
4.0
This was a satire and you can't convince me otherwise.
khlochette's review against another edition
2.0
J'ai eu beaucoup de mal à terminer ce roman. "Suis moi je te fuis, fuis moi je te suis" & "je t'aime, moi non plus" c'est pas ma tasse de thé décidément.. Ils sont tellement cruels dans leurs comportements l'un envers l'autre, comme s'il fallait se reprocher mutuellement d'être la cause de sentiments !
Mais on a quand même quelques pépites dans le caractère de Mathilde de La Mole : "Dès qu'on déplaisait à Mademoiselle de La Mole, elle savait punir par une plaisanterie si mesurée, si bien choisie, si convenable en apparence, lancée si à propos, que la blessure croissait à chaque instant, plus on y réfléchissait. Peu à peu elle devenait atroce pour l'amour-propre offensé." (P.419).
"Mathilde, sûre d'être aimée, le méprisa parfaitement" (p.473)
Mais on a quand même quelques pépites dans le caractère de Mathilde de La Mole : "Dès qu'on déplaisait à Mademoiselle de La Mole, elle savait punir par une plaisanterie si mesurée, si bien choisie, si convenable en apparence, lancée si à propos, que la blessure croissait à chaque instant, plus on y réfléchissait. Peu à peu elle devenait atroce pour l'amour-propre offensé." (P.419).
"Mathilde, sûre d'être aimée, le méprisa parfaitement" (p.473)