Reviews

Germinal by Émile Zola

angie82's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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

4.0

jubilees_bee's review against another edition

5.0

Had to read this for history. I think that much like the end of the story, the ideas of the book will germinate within me for years to come.

atinymarika's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective slow-paced

5.0

teresatumminello's review against another edition

4.0

4 and 1/2 stars

I'm presently in an online group discussing this book, which is probably the reason I don't feel like writing a proper review.

This is my second Zola and I admired it as much as I did my first, [b:L'assommoir|92967|L'Assommoir (The Dram Shop) (Les Rougon-Macquart, #7)|Émile Zola|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1309282204s/92967.jpg|741363], even if I subjectively liked the latter a bit more. The structure of the novel and the way Zola handed the complexity of the issues through the eyes of his main character, Etienne (son of the main character in "L'assommoir"), is impressive.

The group scenes are tense, thrilling, feverish and psychologically astute, as is the portrayal of hardships certain individuals endure, though the handling of one incident I felt was perhaps gratuitous and then treated as a throwaway. Though the book was written in the late-19th century, its language and issues are as gritty and contemporary as they would be in a book of today.

nemo1301's review against another edition

hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

goddan's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

wereonlystardust4's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

tom84629's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

marc129's review

3.0

A truly epic novel, with a beautiful evocation of the harsh side of capitalisme. In the end there were some incredible elements. Not a white-black picture, only the Gregoire family really turns out bad. Of course, Zola paints a very negative picture of blind capitalism. (2.5 stars)

livingprose's review against another edition

tense slow-paced

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

5.0