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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
dark
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I didn't love the ending. Other than that, this was scandalous, scathing, and laugh-out-loud funny. Oh, how I love dramatic irony! Between the double entendres and the characterizations of Vicomte de Valmont and the Marquise de Merteuil, I am shocked this got published in 1782. Vicomte de Valmont and the Marquise de Merteuil are interesting foils/"two sides of the same coin": the male and female libertine. At the end of the day, V de M and M de M just have . . . nothing better to do? Because they're rich and don't have to work - oh, how will they spend their time?! Society is so boooorrring. Until they choose to f*ck with people, because, well, that's always fun, right?
Choderlos de Laclos was heavily inspired by "Clarissa," but this is exploring different themes, a different society (French vs British), and a volatile time in French history (this was published just 7 years before the French Revolution). This is one of the best epistolary novels I've ever read. Truly, I think epistolary novels must be one of the most difficult forms to use because there is so much that has to be kept straight. And yet this was very easy to follow. Each character had their own voice in the letters, and I think that's a sign of Choderlos de Laclos' skill. Happy to have read this! The French continue to not disappoint with another "scandalous, scathing" portrait of society.
Choderlos de Laclos was heavily inspired by "Clarissa," but this is exploring different themes, a different society (French vs British), and a volatile time in French history (this was published just 7 years before the French Revolution). This is one of the best epistolary novels I've ever read. Truly, I think epistolary novels must be one of the most difficult forms to use because there is so much that has to be kept straight. And yet this was very easy to follow. Each character had their own voice in the letters, and I think that's a sign of Choderlos de Laclos' skill. Happy to have read this! The French continue to not disappoint with another "scandalous, scathing" portrait of society.
I read this book almost until the end, but it ended up being a bit too repetitive and boring. The format is very unique, and it's exciting to think it is based on real letters from real people. However, I think the language used (and translation from French) made things hard for me as a non-Native english speaker. Perhaps one day I'll revisit this book in my mother tongue, Spanish.
Avant toute chose, il est important de noter que j’ai lu ce livre dans le cadre de la prépa littéraire, étant une des œuvres qu’il me fallait lire durant les vacances.
J’ai eu beaucoup de mal à rentrer dans ma lecture. J’avais du mal à m’attacher aux personnages, et le style relatif à l’époque, très beau et très bien écrit, rend beaucoup moins fluide la lecture.
Pour autant, j’ai au final bien apprécié ce roman, qui de par son format épistolaire offre une expérience nouvelle (du moins pour ma part). J’ai fini par me prendre au jeu, et je voulais savoir comment tout cela allait se dénouer. Je ne m’attendais en outre pas du tout à la fin, et j’ai été agréablement surprise !
J’ai eu beaucoup de mal à rentrer dans ma lecture. J’avais du mal à m’attacher aux personnages, et le style relatif à l’époque, très beau et très bien écrit, rend beaucoup moins fluide la lecture.
Pour autant, j’ai au final bien apprécié ce roman, qui de par son format épistolaire offre une expérience nouvelle (du moins pour ma part). J’ai fini par me prendre au jeu, et je voulais savoir comment tout cela allait se dénouer. Je ne m’attendais en outre pas du tout à la fin, et j’ai été agréablement surprise !
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A glimpse into the pre-revolutionary French court... along with some steamy (& disturbing) occurrences boredom could do to some people.
