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A review by sjstuart
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
emotional
slow-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
4.0
I love people-watching: observing passersby from a sidewalk café table, eavesdropping on loud conversations in a restaurant, that sort of thing. It's interesting to hear little snippets of other people's lives because, as ordinary as they usually are, they're a glimpse into some entirely different existence.
This book feels a little like that: a different world, and interesting, but quite ordinary. Everyone is flawed, but in realistic ways. No character is an idealized caricature. I'm sure we all know people just as blind to consequences as Emma when it comes to their own self interest; just as boring and clueless as Charles; as caddish as Rodolphe; as self-important as Homais. There is plenty of drama, but of the fairly prosaic sort that doesn't rely on incredible coincidences or extraordinary abilities.
As with eavesdropping on the street, there are a lot of trivial details: I didn't need that much detail on fabrics and carriages and plants and decor. But overall, it was fun to be a fly on the wall and observe all of the gossipy drama in Yonville and chez Bovary.
This book feels a little like that: a different world, and interesting, but quite ordinary. Everyone is flawed, but in realistic ways. No character is an idealized caricature. I'm sure we all know people just as blind to consequences as Emma when it comes to their own self interest; just as boring and clueless as Charles; as caddish as Rodolphe; as self-important as Homais. There is plenty of drama, but of the fairly prosaic sort that doesn't rely on incredible coincidences or extraordinary abilities.
As with eavesdropping on the street, there are a lot of trivial details: I didn't need that much detail on fabrics and carriages and plants and decor. But overall, it was fun to be a fly on the wall and observe all of the gossipy drama in Yonville and chez Bovary.