Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
again: had to read this for uni and it wasn't important for the exam sorryyyy
Una solenne indigestione di odori, colori, sapori, una sovrabbondanza rubensiana che nutre, soffoca e infine uccide. Uccide la coscienza, asfissiata dal grasso della opulenta borghesia mercantile di Parigi, che gravita intorno al suo ventre enorme, i Mercati generali, dove, ogni giorno, si riversano gli ortaggi, la frutta, le carni, i pesci, i formaggi che servono a nutrire la metropoli.
E in questo cosmo chiuso e gravato da tutti i suoi odori si svolge la vicenda di due fratellastri, uno grasso e bottegaio e uno magro e sognatore.
Alla fine il magro, come un corpo estraneo, verrà cancellato da questo immenso ventre, mandato al bagno penale, dimenticato, e il ventre potrà continuare tranquillo la sua non vita digestiva.
E in questo cosmo chiuso e gravato da tutti i suoi odori si svolge la vicenda di due fratellastri, uno grasso e bottegaio e uno magro e sognatore.
Alla fine il magro, come un corpo estraneo, verrà cancellato da questo immenso ventre, mandato al bagno penale, dimenticato, e il ventre potrà continuare tranquillo la sua non vita digestiva.
Like all of Zola’s work, it’s bursting with details that serve to create rich verisimilitude. True escape. Specific to this edition, I was unhappy with the translation. It did not measure up well to other translations of Zola that I have read. In addition, there were countless typos, missed punctuation, misspellings. I cannot imagine why this should be with a new translation published by a large publishing house. I also do not think Mark Kurlansky exhibits the artistry needed to translate works like this from the French.
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Here's a mini review I did for one of my favorite blogs (http://www.wondersandmarvels.com)
"After reading Emile Zola's The Belly of Paris, I feel like I have visited the mid 19th Century Les Halles marketplace in France. Zola's novel is based on the life of Florent, an escaped political prisoner and how he influences his half brother's family. Zola's lively descriptions totally sucked me in. I know exactly what every street corner looks and smells like. I have a good idea what the people of this community ate, what they wore, and what life was like in the marketplace under the rule of Napoleon III. I have recently been put on a despicable diet due to medical reasons and I have to say that his lively descriptions of the marketplace, the vegetables being sold, the meats being cured was so vivid that I often had to put down the book and regroup. There's a scene in a cheese shop that describes the sensory experience of cheese with orchestral metaphors that is delightfully overwhelming.
Food certainly is a crucial part of this book. The first English translation of this book was written in the late 1800s titled Fat and Thin. This definitely supports this books theme of the Haves and the Have-nots. Those that are interested a comfortable life and living in the present versus those that have devoted their lives to a higher cause and are working towards a greater future.
This certainly was an enjoyable read, and I have to say I was taken aback at how modern the story was. Despite Zola's very tangible descriptions at times I felt like I was reading something more contemporary. My only complaint could be that all of the details squeezed into the narrative sometimes slows down the plot. But being that I delight in historical details and anything to do with food, I didn't mind. "
"After reading Emile Zola's The Belly of Paris, I feel like I have visited the mid 19th Century Les Halles marketplace in France. Zola's novel is based on the life of Florent, an escaped political prisoner and how he influences his half brother's family. Zola's lively descriptions totally sucked me in. I know exactly what every street corner looks and smells like. I have a good idea what the people of this community ate, what they wore, and what life was like in the marketplace under the rule of Napoleon III. I have recently been put on a despicable diet due to medical reasons and I have to say that his lively descriptions of the marketplace, the vegetables being sold, the meats being cured was so vivid that I often had to put down the book and regroup. There's a scene in a cheese shop that describes the sensory experience of cheese with orchestral metaphors that is delightfully overwhelming.
Food certainly is a crucial part of this book. The first English translation of this book was written in the late 1800s titled Fat and Thin. This definitely supports this books theme of the Haves and the Have-nots. Those that are interested a comfortable life and living in the present versus those that have devoted their lives to a higher cause and are working towards a greater future.
This certainly was an enjoyable read, and I have to say I was taken aback at how modern the story was. Despite Zola's very tangible descriptions at times I felt like I was reading something more contemporary. My only complaint could be that all of the details squeezed into the narrative sometimes slows down the plot. But being that I delight in historical details and anything to do with food, I didn't mind. "
funny
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2nd tome de la saga des Rougon-Macquart que je relis et ce n'est clairement pas mon préféré. J'avais oublié que parfois l'écriture de Zola est lourde, beaucoup de descriptions.
Je continuerai à tous les lire mais je vais faire à nouveau une (longue) pause avant le prochain.
Je continuerai à tous les lire mais je vais faire à nouveau une (longue) pause avant le prochain.