booksafterten's review
reflective
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? Yes
3.5
georgialilyw's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I found this pretty hard to focus on, but definitely easier than the first. Some interesting ideas around gender, class and some things you would assume more modern - she wears a submissive collar as given to her by the emperor? Bit much
jcampbell's review
dark
slow-paced
3.75
A much more interesting book than I expected, a satirical almost? Look at French politics.
hardcoverhearts's review
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
bubblegum_or_books's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
annathebooksiread's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bibliobethreads's review
adventurous
challenging
funny
reflective
slow-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
3.0
travelsalongmybookshelf's review
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This the second book I am reading in the Rougon-Maquart cycle but is the sixth in the chronological order that Zola wrote them.
In this book, we follow the titular Eugene Rougon; eldest son of Félicité and Pierre Rougon from The Fortune Of The Rougons. **spoilers follow**
Eugene Rougon was a key player in the coup d’etat of 1851 and his passion is wealth and power. The story starts in 1856 with Rougons career at a low ebb. He has resigned his position as president of The Council Of State and his gang of hangers on are aghast, as it means all their personal favours will not be fulfilled. Rougon becomes obsessed with the enigmatic Clorinde Balbi, who also covets power. She suggests they marry, but Rougon declines and gets her to marry one of his followers; Delestang. Clorinde is not best pleased but still wants to pave the way for Rougons return to government as it will help her fortunes.
Rougon learns of a bomb attack on the Emperor, but he chooses to ignore it. When the attack happens, the Emperor makes him Ministry of the Interior with untold powers.
As his power grows, his friends desert him, encouraged by scheming Clorinde. She, through her own rising power engineers a scandal to punish Rougon in revenge for his refusal to marry her. Once again he resigns and is out in the cold, replaced by Clorinde’s husband at the top.
Rougon flip flops in his beliefs to satisfy his appetite for power, returning with a resounding speech at the end.
This book was much less dull than I was led to believe. It is full of political intrigue and machinations and felt a bit like an old school version of The House Of Cards. Unfortunately, in my head Rougon looks like Boris Johnson, such are the similarities in this story to the Tory/partygate/Boris rollercoaster. There is bribery, blackmail and so many ups and downs, I can just see that modern day governments simply have not changed at all!
I have to say though, I loved Clorinde. She is devious, manipulating and frankly glorious, the story is peppered with humour (also unexpected) and flowed really well, it kept me engaged until the end.
Next stop, The Kill
northerly_heart_reads's review
emotional
funny
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75