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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
It had been a while since I read a French novel and I'd been wanting to dive back into Zola. I think this is his first one and has some of the same themes as the other two I've read (Nana and L'assommoir) - What I find most fascinating about his stories are the details of middle class life in 19th century Paris. He'll talk about money and boredom and mediocrity and personalities that can't survive the things they've done.
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
this is my introduction to emile zola's works, and i am so glad that i picked up this little novel as my first zola book because it's just merciless; to both its major characters and its readers.
this book is like a whirlpool that sucks you in with its centripetal force that is driven by its tumultuous narration. it doesn't for once take away the attention from its readers not because of its subject but mainly the events and how they are depicted just get relentless. it feels like a continuous attack on the senses, and zola tremendously succeeded there. the book taps into the territory of psychology which makes reading this book extremely simple yet dense. the violence happens on the psychological level the most from where there is no return at all. this factor makes this book's characters unredeemable, and as a lover of the books where there are plenty of unredeemable characters, i devoured reading this book like a hungry yet tired reader. i think this is the triumph of zola's writing where he goes reflexive with it that doesn't only make it an easy read but a complex (that is mentally exhausting) one, too. zola loved creating this paradox where the readers revel only to suffer.
this book is like a whirlpool that sucks you in with its centripetal force that is driven by its tumultuous narration. it doesn't for once take away the attention from its readers not because of its subject but mainly the events and how they are depicted just get relentless. it feels like a continuous attack on the senses, and zola tremendously succeeded there. the book taps into the territory of psychology which makes reading this book extremely simple yet dense. the violence happens on the psychological level the most from where there is no return at all. this factor makes this book's characters unredeemable, and as a lover of the books where there are plenty of unredeemable characters, i devoured reading this book like a hungry yet tired reader. i think this is the triumph of zola's writing where he goes reflexive with it that doesn't only make it an easy read but a complex (that is mentally exhausting) one, too. zola loved creating this paradox where the readers revel only to suffer.
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-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
Something, be it the claustrophobic atmosphere, the fact that everyone is horrible or the vast hopelessness, is so disturbing that it made me physically ill.
Reading this book was stressful, not like The secret history or crime and punishment, where I was worried that they would get caught. Rather the feeling of stress comes from the readers uncertainty about what they want to happen, do I want them to get caught or do I want them to go free? Can they ever be happy? Do I even want them to be happy?
By the end, much like Thérèse and Laurent you just want it to end.
Reading this book was stressful, not like The secret history or crime and punishment, where I was worried that they would get caught. Rather the feeling of stress comes from the readers uncertainty about what they want to happen, do I want them to get caught or do I want them to go free? Can they ever be happy? Do I even want them to be happy?
By the end, much like Thérèse and Laurent you just want it to end.
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes