in_vain's review against another edition
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
jchimpius's review against another edition
5.0
Tragically beautiful. The realism of it all gives every character an immense amount of impact in the story. Even minor character’s like La Brûle are extremely memorable. Not enough to make me a socialist but an amazing book overall.
portlandcat's review against another edition
3.0
A very good novel but, one of the ten best in the French language...really? I've read some some much better livres and even much better Zola.
dragonsandfoxes's review against another edition
5.0
4,5/5
Beni şaşırtacak derecede akıcı bir kitaptı. Olay örgüsü gayet başarılıydı, karakterlerin her biri günlük hayatta gördüğümüz insanlar kadar gerçekti.
İnsanın nasıl vahşileşebileceğini görüyorsunuz bu kitabı okurken. Kökünden sorunlu bir sistemin yoksul bıraktığı insanların yorgunluktan öfkeye, öfkeden delirmiş bir duruma ve daha başka duygulara giden öyküsüne şahit oluyorsunuz.
Bu kitapta da yoksulluğu görsem bile Rus edebiyatıyla karşılaştırmadan edemedim çünkü Fransız edebiyatına ait bu kitapta yoksulluğu puslu bir camın arkasından izlerken Rus edebiyatında yoksul insanlarla beraber o odada oturuyordum.
Beni şaşırtacak derecede akıcı bir kitaptı. Olay örgüsü gayet başarılıydı, karakterlerin her biri günlük hayatta gördüğümüz insanlar kadar gerçekti.
İnsanın nasıl vahşileşebileceğini görüyorsunuz bu kitabı okurken. Kökünden sorunlu bir sistemin yoksul bıraktığı insanların yorgunluktan öfkeye, öfkeden delirmiş bir duruma ve daha başka duygulara giden öyküsüne şahit oluyorsunuz.
Bu kitapta da yoksulluğu görsem bile Rus edebiyatıyla karşılaştırmadan edemedim çünkü Fransız edebiyatına ait bu kitapta yoksulluğu puslu bir camın arkasından izlerken Rus edebiyatında yoksul insanlarla beraber o odada oturuyordum.
yasamanvf's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bibliotequeish's review against another edition
2.0
Well... I didn't like it.
I think I may not have been in the proper mindset for such a dark story... and this is DARK.
This is probably a book I will revisit in a couple years and see if my opinion changes.
I mean the first time I read Catcher in the rye I hated it.
I re read it a couple years later and Loved it.
For right now, its a two stars, but will put it on me re-read list.
I think I may not have been in the proper mindset for such a dark story... and this is DARK.
This is probably a book I will revisit in a couple years and see if my opinion changes.
I mean the first time I read Catcher in the rye I hated it.
I re read it a couple years later and Loved it.
For right now, its a two stars, but will put it on me re-read list.
sarah_dietrich's review against another edition
4.0
I loved the opening scene with Etienne arriving by night, looking out over the fires of industry dotting the apocalyptic plain. This had a similar feeling to Blood Meridian. The bulk of the plot is the hardships of the impoverished coalminers, and has obvious parallels with The Road to Wigan Pier, but it reminded me more of Les Miserables. A good read, would like to read more Zola.
bookishwendy's review against another edition
4.0
Bleak, epic, surprisingly graphic (not for Zola, but for the era in general), gripping, this one may require a tissue handy at times. In this 1885 novel about the plight of a impoverished miners who go on strike, class struggle ultimately takes a back seat to the ravages of Mother Nature (who has been ravished and abused herself).
The story follows Etienne, a young engineer seeking work at the mines after being sacked for hitting his boss. A (relatively) educated man, he convinces his fellow miners of the unfairness of recent wage cuts, only to be drawn deep into the rage and violence of a mindless mob. He befriends Catherine, a mine worker so stunted and undernourished Etienne mistakes her for a boy, and finds lodging under the roof of Catherine's large, undernourished family. The horrific miners' life is contrasted by glimpses into the houses of the upper-middle class mine managers and their families, who, while disconnected from the plight of the workers, are not portrayed as unsympathetic villains either (nor do the the striking miners come across as being all sympathetic victims).
For a novel about a socialist miner's strike, I expected Germinal to be more politically preachy than it is. Zola draws up complex characters and lets the interactive drama and high emotions carry the story, not rhetoric. The memorable moments are many: the pit pony galloping through the underground tunnels searching for the sun, hungry children torturing a pregnant rabbit, a man torn to pieces by the striking mob, the raw sexuality between the men and women who work side by side on the coalface.
The story follows Etienne, a young engineer seeking work at the mines after being sacked for hitting his boss. A (relatively) educated man, he convinces his fellow miners of the unfairness of recent wage cuts, only to be drawn deep into the rage and violence of a mindless mob. He befriends Catherine, a mine worker so stunted and undernourished Etienne mistakes her for a boy, and finds lodging under the roof of Catherine's large, undernourished family. The horrific miners' life is contrasted by glimpses into the houses of the upper-middle class mine managers and their families, who, while disconnected from the plight of the workers, are not portrayed as unsympathetic villains either (nor do the the striking miners come across as being all sympathetic victims).
For a novel about a socialist miner's strike, I expected Germinal to be more politically preachy than it is. Zola draws up complex characters and lets the interactive drama and high emotions carry the story, not rhetoric. The memorable moments are many: the pit pony galloping through the underground tunnels searching for the sun, hungry children torturing a pregnant rabbit, a man torn to pieces by the striking mob, the raw sexuality between the men and women who work side by side on the coalface.
chairmanbernanke's review against another edition
4.0
A stunning historical portrait of society. Miners go on strike and about their lives.
narcissa_bagman's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75