Reviews

Madame Bovary: Classic Collection by Gustave Flaubert

giada_herondale's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.5

quenchgum's review against another edition

4.0

Epic tragedy written with humor, sarcasm, and wit. I wanted to like it more than I did.

Maybe a 3.75 rating, rounded up because it’s iconic and that lends the novel some depth that maybe it doesn’t entirely earn. Or maybe I’m just missing the point. IDK. If you’re only in the market for one female-driven tragedy then I recommend just getting it over with and reading Anna Karenina (which, unlike literally anything Emma Bovary did, actually ruined me).

xceltictea's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

m0rb's review against another edition

dark funny sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

theasund1's review against another edition

sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

angelakim's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.75

svnfyre's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

patoalternativo's review against another edition

5.0

Mi último libro del año ha sido Madame Bovary y no puedo estar más contenta.

Emma es un paroxismo hedonista y búsqueda del mismo de manera constante.

Inconformista y de humilde origen campesino, padece la misma enfermedad que Alonso Quijano, aunque provocada por novelas de aventuras y edulcorados romances inexistentes. Quiere la posesión del amor, escupe al cielo, quiere vivir rodeada de lujos y pasiones, arguye astutos planes para salirse con la suya, sabe engatusar al pobre de Carlos, quiere probar el amor de sus amantes, vive en sus mentiras y caprichos.

Emma corrompe a Carlos desde la ***** y arrastró al pobre a la misma.

Madame Bovary ha sido uno de los libros más bellamente escritos que he leído en mi vida (según Nabokov, este libro es, desde el punto de vista estético, prosa haciendo lo que debería hacer la poesía ). Flaubert ha destrozado mi corazón, quedando éste palpitando entre las páginas de la novela (bueno, ebook).

PD: León, la cagaste con eso de que te irrita el derecho procesal y luego ni fuiste a su ********.

PD2: Confundir arsénico con azúcar es más habitual de lo que pueda parecer xd

PD3: al parecer Emma no ha sido un personaje de buen recibimiento entre los lectores, pero a mí, me ha parecido muy humana y pasional. Con defectos, sueños, deseos...

PD4: tampoco he encontrado un pacing lento. De hecho, a partir del 50% leído, sentía el cúmulo de emociones de Emma (y luego Carlos) y no he podido despegar los ojos del libro.

theodoreeeeeeads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

So sad 😢 

Really struggling with the rating on this one but I’m going with 3.75 stars.

It was difficult to follow portions of the book. I find with a lot of classics, they can dance around the critical points of the plot without stating things explicitly and after reading a passage you’re not entirely sure what’s happening. I think I may have read it slightly too quickly. 

Also lots of whimsical, comedic characters were portrayed that somehow became essential to the story, I liked that. 

It did hook me in significantly though and the ending was crushing. In the end it was a good classic 

squiddy's review against another edition

3.75

Lydia Davis is a fantastic translator. This book could have been boring had it been written any other way, but she managed to make me intrigued and interested. Emma Bovary is not a great person, but she isn't evil. Charles Bovary is so nice but dull. The nuances and characters are just melancholy and yet disappointing. I enjoyed it.