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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
From the beginning, Zola is clear that his characters are, as he calls them, animals. They are selfish and completely ruled by their passions and wants. In other words, they are not the sympathetic yet flawed characters doing their best in life that we find in many novels. Instead they are terrible beings who create a terrible mess of their lives and then suffer more and more for it until they die. Sounds like fun, right?
Actually, I found the novel fascinating, particularly the levels of madness that Therese and Laurent pass through after they commit their terrible crime. I was most interested in Therese, who is the title character for a reason, of course. Her early life is miserable, causing her to be virtually silent and unassuming but raging inside. When Laurent comes along, this pent-up feeling explodes:
"She gave herself to him without reserve, going directly where her passions drove her. This woman, who had bowed to circumstances, was now standing up to reveal her whole being, to lay her life bare."
Her affair with Laurent is also revenge against her husband and aunt. Mid-novel, Zola describes how the crime has changed both Therese and Laurent. One line really explains exactly what Zola set out to do with his novel:
"It would be interesting to study the changes that are sometimes produced in certain organisms as a result of particular circumstances. These changes, which derive from the flesh, are rapidly communicated to the brain and to the entire being."
Therese's shifts from fear and disgust, to guilt and begging for forgiveness, to needing to be abused, to finally needing any sort of peace (even in another murder or death) were fascinating. The most interesting aspect of the novel is that Laurent and Therese set out to find a way to be together, connected, and achieved this. Unfortunately, they never predicted the form their connection would take:
"Their hatred was inevitable. They had loved each other like animals with a hot passion of the blood; then, in the nervous agitation of crime, their love had become hatred and they felt a kind of physical dread of their kisses; and now, with the suffering that marriage and a common life imposed on them, they rebelled and raged against one another."
This is the first novel by Zola I've read, and won't be the last. The dark, claustrophobic tragedy of the story was definitely overridden by how interesting, thought-full, and intense it was.
Themes: tragedy, evil, crime, classic, adultery, murder, France, guilt, madness, selfishness, living like an animal
Actually, I found the novel fascinating, particularly the levels of madness that Therese and Laurent pass through after they commit their terrible crime. I was most interested in Therese, who is the title character for a reason, of course. Her early life is miserable, causing her to be virtually silent and unassuming but raging inside. When Laurent comes along, this pent-up feeling explodes:
"She gave herself to him without reserve, going directly where her passions drove her. This woman, who had bowed to circumstances, was now standing up to reveal her whole being, to lay her life bare."
Her affair with Laurent is also revenge against her husband and aunt. Mid-novel, Zola describes how the crime has changed both Therese and Laurent. One line really explains exactly what Zola set out to do with his novel:
"It would be interesting to study the changes that are sometimes produced in certain organisms as a result of particular circumstances. These changes, which derive from the flesh, are rapidly communicated to the brain and to the entire being."
Therese's shifts from fear and disgust, to guilt and begging for forgiveness, to needing to be abused, to finally needing any sort of peace (even in another murder or death) were fascinating. The most interesting aspect of the novel is that Laurent and Therese set out to find a way to be together, connected, and achieved this. Unfortunately, they never predicted the form their connection would take:
"Their hatred was inevitable. They had loved each other like animals with a hot passion of the blood; then, in the nervous agitation of crime, their love had become hatred and they felt a kind of physical dread of their kisses; and now, with the suffering that marriage and a common life imposed on them, they rebelled and raged against one another."
This is the first novel by Zola I've read, and won't be the last. The dark, claustrophobic tragedy of the story was definitely overridden by how interesting, thought-full, and intense it was.
Themes: tragedy, evil, crime, classic, adultery, murder, France, guilt, madness, selfishness, living like an animal
One messed up book. I honestly feel sorry after reading it due to Laurent and Therese being such awful people who commit the worst crime ultimately for nothing. And the poor cat! And Madame Raquin! Those were the only two beings I felt bad for.
Naturalism indeed.
Naturalism indeed.
I’m always having a blast while reading this book. I love how slowly the main characters fall into madness, it’s oddly satisfying.
This starts off as a great story, but from about half-way in, it gets repetitive and unnecessarily drawn-out. The final scene was as much a relief for me reading it as it was for the main characters
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A very good psychological drama with some gruesome scenery and shocking portrayals. It's an excellently written, fascinating read even though the story is very, very dark. You can't exactly like any character, but their troubles absorb you anyway. Which is something I did not expect - I usually have trouble reading books where I can't root for someone, but here Zola manages to pull the reader into the inner world of the two criminals in a very satisfying way, and not get too verbose in the process. A rare feat.
I'm all for psychological dramas, yet when they go wrong, they go wrong, if you know what I mean. Thankfully that is not the case here and I've enjoyed my foray into French Naturalism. I hated this literary movement when we read Slovenian authors, so imagine my surprise that there actually is a way to write about dark, bleak, and hopeless situations that doesn't make you want to apply bleach to your brain or reach for booze to reset your emotional equilibrium. It's still a tragedy, have no doubt about it, but somehow you don't mind. Zola manages to capture remorse and its effects perfectly, adding a heap of horror to thoroughly mess with the characters. Surroundings don't help much either and the ending seems inevitable, yet appropriate. (I never thought I'd say that - I usually have mixed feelings about tragedies)
So, who knew I'd be going through books we skipped in high school literature class and thoroughly enjoy them? Heh. Professor, don't hold your breath with Russian classics - I think I prefer shorter versions of Crime and Punishment and its ilk, but only time will tell. I've always liked a reading challenge.
I'm all for psychological dramas, yet when they go wrong, they go wrong, if you know what I mean. Thankfully that is not the case here and I've enjoyed my foray into French Naturalism. I hated this literary movement when we read Slovenian authors, so imagine my surprise that there actually is a way to write about dark, bleak, and hopeless situations that doesn't make you want to apply bleach to your brain or reach for booze to reset your emotional equilibrium. It's still a tragedy, have no doubt about it, but somehow you don't mind. Zola manages to capture remorse and its effects perfectly, adding a heap of horror to thoroughly mess with the characters. Surroundings don't help much either and the ending seems inevitable, yet appropriate. (I never thought I'd say that - I usually have mixed feelings about tragedies)
So, who knew I'd be going through books we skipped in high school literature class and thoroughly enjoy them? Heh. Professor, don't hold your breath with Russian classics - I think I prefer shorter versions of Crime and Punishment and its ilk, but only time will tell. I've always liked a reading challenge.
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Pēc "Terēzas Rakēnas" izlasīšanas, "Dāmu paradīze" aizvien ir mans mīļākais no lasītajiem Zolā darbiem. Divu slepkavniecisko mīlnieku stāstu pabeidzu lasīt drīzāk pienākuma pēc, nevis aiz lielas aizrautības. Parīzes darbīgās ielas, pelēko, drūmo un mitro pasāžu autoram ir izdevies attēlot tieši tā, ka arī lasītājs sajūt pelējuma dvaku un drēgnumu kaulos. Tas Zolā izdodas.
http://lalksne.blogspot.com/2018/01/emils-zola-tereza-rakena.html
http://lalksne.blogspot.com/2018/01/emils-zola-tereza-rakena.html
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes