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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
A thrilling, enchanting, delightful and deeply moving classic!
I finally know the timeless story of Madame Bovary. What a remarkable journey to delve into the timeless classics whose names I first heard uttered in adult conversations in my childhood in Iran. The Godfather is such an example. Victor Hugo's Les Misérables another. Madame Bovary yet another.
I read Gustave Flaubert`s masterpiece in English, translated not by Penguin Classics which seems to be the most well-known version but by Wordsworth Classics, which I picked up in a small bookstore in London. Despite the extremely smooth translation with countless awe-inspiring passages, I have no doubt much was lost in translation from the prose and poetic style associated with the original French version.
The setting is France provincial life. The year is 1855. And to me, the only character of interest was Emma, followed only as it concerned her, by her lovers, Léon and Rudolphe and only by mild curiosity, her husband Charles. Why did Flaubert waste my time talking about the pharmacist Monsieur Homais, his dull wife, Madame Homais, his annoying family, the priest, the servants, the politicians, the world of agriculture and medicine and the other banalities of provincial life in Yonville?
Naturally, it was to build the backdrop of a great story and necessary act to color Emma in all her true shades against this backdrop. But I only wanted to know Emma. I only wanted to concern myself about her every passing thought, emotion, whim, fancy, ache, pain, disgust and triumph. I wanted all of Madame Bovary - the novel - to be about this one single character, so complex and intense and fanatical she was that there was no tiring of her.
So I don't think the question is whether we like Emma or whether we identify with her. The question is whether we can appreciate first the mastery of the prose and second the complexity and unique character of Emma Bovary. I applaud Flaubert's remarkable candor and ability to precisely portray the unfulfilled desires, cravings, and yearnings of a selfish woman bound to a dull and kind husband for whom she shows no trace of emotion, and I do that without necessarily applauding Emma's actions. In fact, to me, Emma hardly loved any of her lovers. I argue that she lived and breathed happiness only in the ideas of the circumstances, without loving anyone at all.
But all in all, the story of Madame Emma Bovary is a timeless classic and I'd recommend it heartily!
I finally know the timeless story of Madame Bovary. What a remarkable journey to delve into the timeless classics whose names I first heard uttered in adult conversations in my childhood in Iran. The Godfather is such an example. Victor Hugo's Les Misérables another. Madame Bovary yet another.
I read Gustave Flaubert`s masterpiece in English, translated not by Penguin Classics which seems to be the most well-known version but by Wordsworth Classics, which I picked up in a small bookstore in London. Despite the extremely smooth translation with countless awe-inspiring passages, I have no doubt much was lost in translation from the prose and poetic style associated with the original French version.
The setting is France provincial life. The year is 1855. And to me, the only character of interest was Emma, followed only as it concerned her, by her lovers, Léon and Rudolphe and only by mild curiosity, her husband Charles. Why did Flaubert waste my time talking about the pharmacist Monsieur Homais, his dull wife, Madame Homais, his annoying family, the priest, the servants, the politicians, the world of agriculture and medicine and the other banalities of provincial life in Yonville?
Naturally, it was to build the backdrop of a great story and necessary act to color Emma in all her true shades against this backdrop. But I only wanted to know Emma. I only wanted to concern myself about her every passing thought, emotion, whim, fancy, ache, pain, disgust and triumph. I wanted all of Madame Bovary - the novel - to be about this one single character, so complex and intense and fanatical she was that there was no tiring of her.
So I don't think the question is whether we like Emma or whether we identify with her. The question is whether we can appreciate first the mastery of the prose and second the complexity and unique character of Emma Bovary. I applaud Flaubert's remarkable candor and ability to precisely portray the unfulfilled desires, cravings, and yearnings of a selfish woman bound to a dull and kind husband for whom she shows no trace of emotion, and I do that without necessarily applauding Emma's actions. In fact, to me, Emma hardly loved any of her lovers. I argue that she lived and breathed happiness only in the ideas of the circumstances, without loving anyone at all.
But all in all, the story of Madame Emma Bovary is a timeless classic and I'd recommend it heartily!
a reminder to always know when to separate fiction from reality, and to be happy and grateful for what you have and what people give you :)
finally finished my first book of Gustave Flaubert! it took me 7–8 days to finish this one for some reason. as a first-time read, it was a good introduction to Flaubert’s novels, for it’s easy to read—though there are words that might be too deep for your understanding, but google is one search away! however, if you’re not into very detailed or precise books, this one’s probably not for you. this book is VERY much intricate (sa first chapter pa lang, makikita mo na super grabehan yung details niya).
gave this book a 3.75/5 rating because I’m not a huge fan of slow-paced books, and I get bored and disinterested easily. Flaubert focused too much on the details, which I find tedious. most of the chapters contain more than 10 pages, though there are a few that have fewer. but I personally think it was Gustave’s style in writing, the long chapters and intricate details were his novels’ identity.
as someone who loves reading, I know it’s inevitable to hope a certain scene in the story would happen to us too, but I’ve always known about the saying “learn to separate fiction from reality”. this book gave me a wider knowledge of what could happen if you do not know when and how to draw a line between the two, through Emma. I do understand her–a young woman who loves the idea of love, who wants a fairytale-like love story–but it doesn’t justify the things that she did. hated Charles at first, but was able to somehow love and accept his character for his character development and growth; unlike Emma, who seemed to haven’t learned anything from her experiences and hadn’t outgrown that part of her.
would’ve given this a higher rating if: Emma had a character development towards the end of the story, she faced the consequences of her actions, and if the ending had been different. even though I feel like the ending lacks something, I still love the overall story despite all the frustration and disillusionment. will definitely re-read this one day!
finally finished my first book of Gustave Flaubert! it took me 7–8 days to finish this one for some reason. as a first-time read, it was a good introduction to Flaubert’s novels, for it’s easy to read—though there are words that might be too deep for your understanding, but google is one search away! however, if you’re not into very detailed or precise books, this one’s probably not for you. this book is VERY much intricate (sa first chapter pa lang, makikita mo na super grabehan yung details niya).
gave this book a 3.75/5 rating because I’m not a huge fan of slow-paced books, and I get bored and disinterested easily. Flaubert focused too much on the details, which I find tedious. most of the chapters contain more than 10 pages, though there are a few that have fewer. but I personally think it was Gustave’s style in writing, the long chapters and intricate details were his novels’ identity.
as someone who loves reading, I know it’s inevitable to hope a certain scene in the story would happen to us too, but I’ve always known about the saying “learn to separate fiction from reality”. this book gave me a wider knowledge of what could happen if you do not know when and how to draw a line between the two, through Emma. I do understand her–a young woman who loves the idea of love, who wants a fairytale-like love story–but it doesn’t justify the things that she did. hated Charles at first, but was able to somehow love and accept his character for his character development and growth; unlike Emma, who seemed to haven’t learned anything from her experiences and hadn’t outgrown that part of her.
would’ve given this a higher rating if: Emma had a character development towards the end of the story, she faced the consequences of her actions, and if the ending had been different. even though I feel like the ending lacks something, I still love the overall story despite all the frustration and disillusionment. will definitely re-read this one day!
dark
funny
medium-paced
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert - a Kindle book uploaded on February 16th, began reading on February 18th. I had heard it was a classic with an undercurrent of French intimacy and eroticism, so I said what the hey.
Madame Bovary begins by being about Mr Charles Bovary, his wheedling spinster widow first wife, and his impassioned young second wife. Off and on, the third-person narration looks out from the eyes of an all-seeing narrator, Charles' parents, Charles' own, and then the bulk of the book is seen through those of his second wife, Emma. It's very, very descriptive for a novel of this age and genre and includes some lesser-character Shakespeare-style witty banter, but, looking at the story in more modern terms, the second Mrs Bovary would be seen as being a child of nature and a romantic when they had gotten married, then turning bitter, beatific, Baby Jane, and emo with age. Charles Bovary, though upstanding and every-man, should've known she'd turn emo and stayed far away, whittling away his years as a bachelor doctor.
Madame Bovary begins by being about Mr Charles Bovary, his wheedling spinster widow first wife, and his impassioned young second wife. Off and on, the third-person narration looks out from the eyes of an all-seeing narrator, Charles' parents, Charles' own, and then the bulk of the book is seen through those of his second wife, Emma. It's very, very descriptive for a novel of this age and genre and includes some lesser-character Shakespeare-style witty banter, but, looking at the story in more modern terms, the second Mrs Bovary would be seen as being a child of nature and a romantic when they had gotten married, then turning bitter, beatific, Baby Jane, and emo with age. Charles Bovary, though upstanding and every-man, should've known she'd turn emo and stayed far away, whittling away his years as a bachelor doctor.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
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
emotional
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Tout à fait extraordinaire!
Nope, I don't really speak French, but this book makes me want to learn. As fabulous as this English translation was, I understand that it is even better if read in it's original French.
The story of Emma was indeed compelling, but I found the events and people surrounding her just as interesting. Vivid details of the landscapes and daily life of the period, complex character development for even the most minor characters, and the extraordinary narration by Simon Vance, made this a delightfully immersive experience.
Nope, I don't really speak French, but this book makes me want to learn. As fabulous as this English translation was, I understand that it is even better if read in it's original French.
The story of Emma was indeed compelling, but I found the events and people surrounding her just as interesting. Vivid details of the landscapes and daily life of the period, complex character development for even the most minor characters, and the extraordinary narration by Simon Vance, made this a delightfully immersive experience.