Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

60 reviews

bookstore_plantlover's review against another edition

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slow-paced
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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agnes_fr's review against another edition

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medium-paced

4.75

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caribbeangirlreading's review against another edition

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emotional sad 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? Yes
When it comes to reading foreign novels, translations matter. Adam Thorpe managed to capture Flaubert's language in a way that took my breath away.
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conglomerationofchaos's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad tense 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

3.5

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skyhuckelberry's review against another edition

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

3.75

This was a good, rather quick read for a classic. Overall, I enjoyed it.
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circe_08's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Ein sehr anspruchsvolles Buch, das den tragischen Untergang einer einst glücklichen Familie zum Thema hat. Madame Bovary hat zum Fehler, dass sie sich nicht zufrieden geben kann, immer nach mehr strebt. Letztendlich wird ihr das trauriger weise zum Verhängnis und während sie immer nervöser uns von Nervenproblem geplagt wird, geht es mit ihren Finanzen bergab. Leider erliegt Madame Bovary einer Vergiftung. Vor allem ist das Ende ihrer Tochter zu bedauern. Ohne Eltern oder Vermögen muss sie alleine in der Welt zurückbleiben. 

Besonders schlimm erscheinen mir jene Menschen, die sich nach Madame Bovarys Tod daran bereichern wollen und Monsieur Bovary ausnehmen. Zu Lebzeiten der Madame nutzt auch der fahrende Händler ihre Naivität aus und stürzt sie in einen Berg aus Schulden. 
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uncomfortablecoconut's review against another edition

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

4.0

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domibi's review against another edition

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dark sad slow-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

5.0

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lostinthelibrary's review against another edition

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

4.0

I can see why this novel is so well praised. It is somehow at the same time satirical, realistic and tragic. It is great that a man of that time was able to write such an interesting female character and I can see why it would have caused controversy. Flaubert also perfectly captured small town rural attitudes and practices in such a humorous and heartfelt way. This all makes the book still very readable to a modern audience. 
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tiiiger35's review against another edition

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

3.75

Emma - Madame Bovary, is a complex woman, trapped in a life & a marriage she hates. She’s a dreamer, an idealist, a romantic who yearns for overzealous passions. She’s also naive, selfish, greedy, hateful & dishonest. 
Her husband, Charles, in comparison, adores her. She can commit no wrongs in his eyes, he’s eternally faithful, loving & loyal to her. He’s also completely blind to her wretchedness toward him & her unhappiness within their marriage. 

In context, women in the 19th century had so little autonomy & even less opportunities. I emphathised with Emma on that level. It’s clear she was a tortured soul, who was doomed to a life of unfulfillment & misery. She seemed to suffer from chronic depressions & mood disorders that weren’t understood back then. Driven by a desire to find a love so intense, that even her daughter was pushed aside. Yet, right under her nose, unwanted, were the 2 people who loved her endlessly. 

Cruelly, a part of me felt irritated Emma escaped the long term repercussions of her salacious & egocentric actions. Instead, Berthe was left alone in the world, destitute & unloved.
It’s one that will stick with me, but it’s a  sad story with a tragic ending. It must have been a scandalous read for its time filled with debauchery, infidelities, lust & betrayal. 
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