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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
very very good not like dostoevsky (boringevsky). i couldnt stop myself from reading! its true i allowed myself three ‘chapters’ before blowing my nose. good job ivan i’ll read your other ones too!
The Youth Love! You can experience it but cannot describe it.
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ivan Turgenev has a way with writing the passage of time
I adored the stunning prose and overall enjoyed the story
The end was a bit anticlimactic. I just wish there was a bit more
I adored the stunning prose and overall enjoyed the story
The end was a bit anticlimactic. I just wish there was a bit more
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
i read half of first love in the hapgood translation but the writing was too complex that descriptions kinda lost its beauty. im also not a fan of the dialogues switching between thy/thee/thus/thou/ye and you/your since it made the writing inconsistent, so i would highly recommend the isaiah berlin (penguin classics) translation. the pc version is sooo much clearer, easier to follow, and personally made me think more highly of this book. the introduction spoils the entire story though, so definitely be wary of that.
as for the story itself; i loved it ! it took me a while to get into the book, but i HAD to finish it in one sitting once i did. it’s playful and fun, but melancholic at the same time. there’s also a ton of beautiful quotes that made me appreciate turgenev’s writing soooo much. it captures everything about first love extremely well; the naiveté, restlessness, joy—but also the desolation, jealousy, and shame. it’s not just a simple story about a boy who falls in love, but the complexities of unrequited love and youth.
as for the story itself; i loved it ! it took me a while to get into the book, but i HAD to finish it in one sitting once i did. it’s playful and fun, but melancholic at the same time. there’s also a ton of beautiful quotes that made me appreciate turgenev’s writing soooo much. it captures everything about first love extremely well; the naiveté, restlessness, joy—but also the desolation, jealousy, and shame. it’s not just a simple story about a boy who falls in love, but the complexities of unrequited love and youth.
L’intrigue et la vivacité de la littérature contemporaine et la poésie et l’autorité d’un classique.
J’ai beaucoup aimé le style simple et soigné de l’écriture, une histoire drôle mais émotionelle, qui fait réfléchir à la force de l’amour et l’incongruité de nos relations: pourquoi s’attacher à cette princesse, comment se comporter avec le fils de son amant, comment devenir ami avec les autres prétendants de sa belle ; et la subtilité de nos sentiments d’affections: les amours sont-ils tous comparables, est ce un problème de n’avoir qu’une seul mot pour tous les décrire, ou est-ce qu’au contraire, il en existe autant de variations que de relations et il serait donc impossible de les nommer.
« I took off my cap and after shuffling a little, walked away with a heavy heart. « Que suis-je pour elle? » I thought (goodness knows why) in French »
« Her presence seared me like a flame...but what did I care what kind of fire this was in which I burned and melted, when it was bliss to burn and to melt? »
J’ai beaucoup aimé le style simple et soigné de l’écriture, une histoire drôle mais émotionelle, qui fait réfléchir à la force de l’amour et l’incongruité de nos relations: pourquoi s’attacher à cette princesse, comment se comporter avec le fils de son amant, comment devenir ami avec les autres prétendants de sa belle ; et la subtilité de nos sentiments d’affections: les amours sont-ils tous comparables, est ce un problème de n’avoir qu’une seul mot pour tous les décrire, ou est-ce qu’au contraire, il en existe autant de variations que de relations et il serait donc impossible de les nommer.
« I took off my cap and after shuffling a little, walked away with a heavy heart. « Que suis-je pour elle? » I thought (goodness knows why) in French »
« Her presence seared me like a flame...but what did I care what kind of fire this was in which I burned and melted, when it was bliss to burn and to melt? »
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes