Reviews

Adèle by Leïla Slimani

eviemay_'s review

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

3.0

elliemcc11's review

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4.0

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for opportunity to read this ARC.

Having read and enjoyed Lullaby, when I saw this was available for selection I was really keen to read it as well and I wasn't disappointed. I found it well written and readable. I was intrigued as to her motivations and this book read as an interesting character study. As the book is centered around the character who is addicted to sex with anyone, anywhere, there are references to sex but I didn't find it especially explicit, but rather, part of the overall story line.

killingsnail's review

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adventurous

5.0

pandarius_pinkman's review against another edition

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dark reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

soeurx's review against another edition

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challenging dark slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

lasophie's review against another edition

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dark mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

nadiatagliani's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

There are parts of this book that I loved and other parts that felt lacking and empty. The story follows Adèle, a journalist with a seemingly perfect life, but has a sex addiction which ends up corrupting and ruining her life. The story navigates through her childhood, marital life, sexual affairs and her experience as a mother. 
 
I really liked the authors writing style - while the sentences were short and quick, her use of personification really added to the story. Adèle felt very real. While her self destructive lifestyle is frustrating, you sympathise with her, pity her, feel angry towards her. Her addiction is hard to understand as the author never takes the reader into Adèle’s mind, which does create that barrier between us as the reader and Adèle. 

An underlying theme of the book focused on being a woman and mother in a world full of men; how men see women through the male gaze and how women are objectified no matter what - It’s depressing but true. Overall, I did enjoy reading this book but it does leave you with an empty feeling. 

moth's review

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add this to the girlblogger reading list

linassassin's review

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dark reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

lizritchie22's review

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4.0

*4.5 stars*

Adèle is a short and quick read about a woman who struggles with infidelity and sex addiction. The author gives us glimpses inside her childhood and adolescence revealing pieces that may have led to her problematic behaviors as an adult.
When her husband finds out about her cheating and affairs, the couple does everything they can to save their marriage. Mostly this comes from Richard's, her husband, controlling behavior over her.

For me, I thought Slimani, the author, did an incredible job capturing addiction and how it affects the spouse and the family. You see the desperation of Adèle to make right and absolve all her wrongs. You see the creeping of her addictive thoughts start to return and you see her relapse. The last few pages are absolutely beautiful and poetic. You read Richards bargaining and pleading for his addict wife to return home and the promises he makes that "things will be different".

I'm disappointed in the low ratings this book has. I couldn't put Adèle down and finished this book in about 3 days.