A review by moonlunatik
Indiana by George Sand, Claire Bouilhac, Catel

dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense medium-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

3.75

This was quite the surprising read for me. Although I had heard of George Sand before I was not super familiar with her work and her biography so it was quite cool to read this old classic in a completely new format.

The book tells the story of Indiana, a sad noble lady married to a tyrant of a husband. She lives with ber cousin Ralph, a widower who has been devoted to her since childhood and Noun, her foster sister.

She then meets Raymon, another nobleman and his arrival complicates her sad but stable life. Raymon's presence challenges the dynamics among the characters, revealing hidden desires and testing the boundaries of societal norms. The narrative explores themes of love, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness against the backdrop of 19th-century France.

Indiana, as a character, infuriated me a bit. I truly could not believe some of the choices she makes in this book. But I also believe that part of it was due to the style of writing that was popular at that time.

The art was quite good, specially when it came to the characters. I could understand why people fell in love with Indiana by simply looking at her and her character design managed to portray both her beauty and her fragility. But I wish the backgrounds and environments were a bit more detailed.

All in all it was an enjoyable evening read but it didn't move me all that much emotionally, which is why I'm not giving it a higher rating.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.