Reviews

Jezebel by Irène Némirovsky

sottola99's review

dark sad medium-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

3.5

elisacal's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.75

sadiereadsagain's review against another edition

4.0

Meet the female Dorian Gray. Gladys is beautiful and revels in her seemingly endless youth, drawing her power from her one true happiness - making men fall in love with her. But her vanity catches her in a web of lies and betrayal. This is a dark tale with a character that I loved to hate. But Nemirovsky manages to show glimpses of the human within this monstrous character. I found myself on tenterhooks wondering whether those glimpses would develop into something more. Considering it was written before the second world war, this novel still feels fresh. It is a clever story, which throws into question the damage our society's obsession with appearance can cause.

favette's review against another edition

4.0

Una donna e la sua ossessione per le apparenze, per l'estetica, per il piacere, per la seduzione e devota al controllo dei cuori altrui, che infondo non conosce amore all'infuori di quello che prova per se stessa. Un intera vita votata a perfezionare, modellare, smussare i contorni della propria maschera, come potrebbe non arrivare anche ad uccidere, pur di mantenere intatto questo teatrino? Accettare la morte pur di rimanere fedele alle sue menzogne? Questo sembra sia stato il testamento lasciato da Gladys, di cui intravediamo solo un'mmagine spettrale, aggirarsi tra una città e l'altra, un salone e una casa d'appuntamenti, per tutto il romanzo, un racconto fantasmatico, in cui nessuno che l'abbia davvero conosciuta, e abbia potuto guardarla negli occhi, sembra abbia potuto vivere tanto a lungo da poterla smascherare.

kiriamarin's review against another edition

4.0

Life is such a horror to women... youth,d
Happiness,love ,we cant have everything.

gracaventura's review against another edition

4.0

While it's a great story and I love Nemirovsky's storytelling ability, I find that the more her works become discovered and translated, the more the stories are melding into one.

lacywolfe's review against another edition

3.0

Gladys is a nasty woman. Now I have a go to for most unappealing female character. Interesting look at obsession over beauty and youth.

paurw's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 Irene Nemirovsky crea personajes nefastos y potentes, que reflejan lo más oscuro de la naturaleza humana.
Galdys Eysenach ha asesinado a un hombre y partimos el libro viendo su juicio y condena, pero el resto del libro nos cuenta cómo llegó a esta situación.
Gladys es derechamente un personaje con miedos profundos pero superficiales y su historia de vida te muestra lo terrible que es como persona.
Ha sido una lectura intensa, la autora nuevamente me ha atrapado con personajes terribles, inqueribles y que aun así quieres leer si historia.

Ya estoy buscando mi próxima lectura de esta autora. 

darkfeds's review

emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

cissy_'s review

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0