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qiaorui's review against another edition
5.0
A boy's complex evolving relationship with his grandmother Charlotte is the main theme of the Makine's Dreams of My Russian Summers. And the stories on her past life in the Paris of the fin the ciecle that she narrated to him as a kid. Charlotte is the narrator's most important family member and his feelings for her go through cycles of admiration, affection, deception, loathing, pity, and back to love, several times. At best their relationship is beautifully simple, swimming and reading by the river every day; at worst, heartbreakingly silent, such as when he struggles to voice frustration about the Paris stories that had filled his inner life as a kid. The emotional tensions are palpable and overwhelmed me in their strength. Our knowledge about Charlotte's past evolves with the narrator's. Tsarism, revolution, world wars, communist dictatorships - she has lived through them all and each left a personal scar in her life. But throughout she remains somewhat of an enigma. This begs the tragic question: how close can you really get to someone, especially when you are both constantly evolving? And does that even matter, or is it enough to try and know the other is trying too? Five stars, but please give me something light-hearted now.
21andreea11's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
frogwithlittlehammer's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
Je trouve que les Français ont une façon de créer des œuvres (surtout des lectures) qui sont plus grandes que la vie. J’ai vachement eu du mal avec celui ci, mais j’espère le relire à l’avenir pour en profiter même plus.
alexagarcia's review against another edition
4.0
Beautiful prose- I had to read this for my literature class and while it did take me a few minutes to reread and comprehend certain key parts of the novel, I truly appreciated the beauty of Makine’s storytelling.
francescaguardo's review against another edition
2.0
Took a million years to read this as had to read like 10 pages a month as punishment to get it done. Finished the last bit in one go so I could get rid of it off the list as part of the resolution to finish half done books…
Not for me at all - could never get into it and the descriptions of women and sex scenes were nearly enough to make me give it up and break my resolution, a no from me
Not for me at all - could never get into it and the descriptions of women and sex scenes were nearly enough to make me give it up and break my resolution, a no from me
sortulv's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
katcic's review against another edition
5.0
Wonderful and involving like the other Makine novels I have read. Sad to reach the last pages.
shinzu's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25