Reviews

The Belly of Paris by Émile Zola

biorg's review against another edition

3.0

7o% food descriptions, 30% plot (if that). there is a moment in the second half where some violence occurs, and i thought that we can finally get the story going.... only for zola to pivot back to obssessively detailed food descriptions. zola was such a troll for that lol. not for the first time i note that zola's realism (or naturalism, if you wish) to take grotesque and supernatural forms. each character introduction is prefaced with the way they mimic the food they sell, which get old at some point. if i were to describe the novel in one word, it would be 'flesh'

kirstie4's review against another edition

3.0

Probably would've been a higher rating if I read this when I wasn't feeling so ill.

sfouts's review against another edition

funny informative slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

agathe02's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

changbineyeskz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective 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

4.5

Je ne m'attendais pas à autant apprécier Zola, j'espère avoir l'occasion de lire les Rougon Macquarts

gabzpz's review against another edition

5.0

The Real Housewives of Châtelet-Les Halles

marxgaux's review against another edition

5.0

florent sweetie i am so sorry

julaii's review against another edition

informative inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

doramac's review against another edition

challenging dark informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

helgamharb's review against another edition

4.0

4.5

Do not look for justice in a Zola novel.

The Belly of Paris (Le Ventre de Paris), the third novel in Émile Zola's twenty-volume series of Les Rougon-Macquart is a criticism leveled at the fat, well fed, self-satisfied bourgeois class.
The setting is Les Halles of Paris and the story takes place over one year from 1858 to 1859.