emmauwilson's review against another edition
3.0
BYE BYE ZOLA I HATED YOU...... this actually was a tolerable book but the fact that the main relationship between the MIDDLEAGED boss and the 19 year old salesgirl is based on the affair he actually had with his maid......
borumi's review against another edition
4.0
어찌보면 시대배경만 다르지 현대의 여성 드라마나 chick lit처럼 가난하고 빽도 없고 외모도 그저 그런 여주인공이
온갖 역경을 이겨내고 순수함을 그대로 유지해서 지위와 남자의 사랑도 얻게 되는 흔한 해피엔딩이지만..
졸라의 뛰어난 시대의 변화와 사회에 대한 관찰력으로 여주인공보다 실제 주인공은 백화점과 그 백화점이 속해있는 사회를 더 잘 그려낸 것 같습니다. 그래서 흔한 chick lit에서 벗어날 수 있었구요.
제가 North and South를 좋아했던 이유도 흔한 빅토리아 로맨스소설과 달리 사회경제적 문제를 다루었기 때문인데..
애엄마들 커뮤니티에 가면 명품백 자랑하거나 패밀리세일 소식은 잦아도
사회정치적 문제에 대해서는 너무나도 관심없는 게 확실히 느껴지는데요..(심지어 선거철에 정치 얘기하지 말자는 의견도..)
드니스처럼 사회에 대한 compassion은 갖지만 또한 현실적이고 이성적인 지성은 잃지 않아야 진정한 feminine beauty라고 생각합니다
온갖 역경을 이겨내고 순수함을 그대로 유지해서 지위와 남자의 사랑도 얻게 되는 흔한 해피엔딩이지만..
졸라의 뛰어난 시대의 변화와 사회에 대한 관찰력으로 여주인공보다 실제 주인공은 백화점과 그 백화점이 속해있는 사회를 더 잘 그려낸 것 같습니다. 그래서 흔한 chick lit에서 벗어날 수 있었구요.
제가 North and South를 좋아했던 이유도 흔한 빅토리아 로맨스소설과 달리 사회경제적 문제를 다루었기 때문인데..
애엄마들 커뮤니티에 가면 명품백 자랑하거나 패밀리세일 소식은 잦아도
사회정치적 문제에 대해서는 너무나도 관심없는 게 확실히 느껴지는데요..(심지어 선거철에 정치 얘기하지 말자는 의견도..)
드니스처럼 사회에 대한 compassion은 갖지만 또한 현실적이고 이성적인 지성은 잃지 않아야 진정한 feminine beauty라고 생각합니다
noraberth's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
oxana's review against another edition
3.0
Not a fantastic book, but fairly okay. The characters I just didn’t connect with, they seemed overly dramatic way to many times and in situations it was uncalled for. Also too much time was spent on singing praises to scenes where the characters were - annoyed me a bit. I don’t like reading about fabric hanging from the ceiling in the store for 5 pages. That’s just too much.
vitsa's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed Zola's writing especially the doom and gloom of the failing small shops. He managed to capture the desperation and the painful helplessness of the old vendors who couldn't possibly stand up to the shiny new thing.
Uncle Baudon was a perfect representation of stubbornness and denial in the face of inevitable defeat. I felt very sorry for them all and their impeding doom.
On the other hand, I found the lengthy descriptions of the Bonheur des Dames quite tedious and tiresome. He went on and on about the big windows and the shiny counters and the millions of types of cloth and stuff you could find there. My God, I just wanted him to get on with it already.
Denise was very likeable at first, she is a typical virginal country girl for whom virtue and honour is everything. She realises that she doesn't really fit into this debauche capital life, but she can see that stores like Bonheur des Dames are the future. Towards the end her protestations were getting on my nerves, and yet again, I just wished the author would get on with it. I also wish she had been a bit less pure and martyr-like and had embraced her power a bit more. It would have been nice to see a change into a more assertive and self assured woman, rather than her staying the same grey mouse she started as.
Overall it was enjoyable, will add more Zola to my to-read list.
Uncle Baudon was a perfect representation of stubbornness and denial in the face of inevitable defeat. I felt very sorry for them all and their impeding doom.
On the other hand, I found the lengthy descriptions of the Bonheur des Dames quite tedious and tiresome. He went on and on about the big windows and the shiny counters and the millions of types of cloth and stuff you could find there. My God, I just wanted him to get on with it already.
Denise was very likeable at first, she is a typical virginal country girl for whom virtue and honour is everything. She realises that she doesn't really fit into this debauche capital life, but she can see that stores like Bonheur des Dames are the future. Towards the end her protestations were getting on my nerves, and yet again, I just wished the author would get on with it. I also wish she had been a bit less pure and martyr-like and had embraced her power a bit more. It would have been nice to see a change into a more assertive and self assured woman, rather than her staying the same grey mouse she started as.
Overall it was enjoyable, will add more Zola to my to-read list.
kiriamarin's review against another edition
De fato é uma obra muito "otimista" para o padrão Zola e com uma temática explícita sobre capitalismo voraz , na figura de Octave Mouret e seu "Paraíso das Damas" que sufoca de forma obscena os tradicionais comerciantes . É a nova Paris ,da virada do século, Zola um eximio observador atento,consegue captar este espírito de uma nova classe burguesa na cidade e as taticas deste nova forma de fazer negócio mais técnica,desde a gestão até propaganda dos seus produtos que envelheceu super bem para a estoria e em comparação a forma contemporânea de vendas.
Este tipo de mega lojas devem ter sido impressionantes e uma sensação, também degradante e exploratório para seus vendedores formados por homens e mulheres pobres e provincianos, marcando um êxito rural para cidade com suas sofríveis oportunidades.
A figura moral da trama está na jovem humilde Denise ,pelo seus olhos observamos está máquina por dentro e reflete também a sua resistência amorosa a Mauret em comprar seu amor.
Não é dos meus favoritos de Zola pois é uma trama sem sutilezas e explicativa porém captura um aspecto interessante de Paris que poderia ser fútil mas torna-se essencial na evolução econômica e vida citadina ,com novos hábitos ecomportamentos de compra e venda exportados para outros países .
É um excelente registro histórico de uma época .
Obs: O amigo de Mouret: Paul , é claramente um alter ego de Zola na trama
O casal não deu nenhum beijinho, que livro casto senhor Zola rs.
Este tipo de mega lojas devem ter sido impressionantes e uma sensação, também degradante e exploratório para seus vendedores formados por homens e mulheres pobres e provincianos, marcando um êxito rural para cidade com suas sofríveis oportunidades.
A figura moral da trama está na jovem humilde Denise ,pelo seus olhos observamos está máquina por dentro e reflete também a sua resistência amorosa a Mauret em comprar seu amor.
Não é dos meus favoritos de Zola pois é uma trama sem sutilezas e explicativa porém captura um aspecto interessante de Paris que poderia ser fútil mas torna-se essencial na evolução econômica e vida citadina ,com novos hábitos ecomportamentos de compra e venda exportados para outros países .
É um excelente registro histórico de uma época .
Obs: O amigo de Mouret: Paul , é claramente um alter ego de Zola na trama
O casal não deu nenhum beijinho, que livro casto senhor Zola rs.
gg2023's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
giforiss's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
emma_dch's review against another edition
adventurous
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? No
5.0
d_audy's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5