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anjsi's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
slow-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
3.0
janeloney's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-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
4.0
bealisa's review against another edition
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
grubstlodger's review against another edition
3.0
Flaubert writes with his usual skills - he is a sharp observer of character and quite probably the best chooser of the telling detail.
There are some absolutely wonderful setpieces in this book: alling in love at first sight, of horse-racing, the aftermath of a party. There is also the compelling portrayal of the revolutions of 1848 as well as the best description of a traffic jam I have ever read - and this one with horses and carriages. It admirably captures the hypnotic nature of the wheels, the nosiness and sluggishness and the individual horse riders nipping through like cyclists.
He is as good at describing people as individuals as he is as a group. Who has not met someone who could be described as;
“A man of theory, he respected only the masses and was merciless to individuals.”
All of that, and as much as I admired the book and found things in it as good as any other writing, I could not utterly enjoy it as I did 'Bovary'.
The storyline drifted a little, and the cohesion seemed to lack. Maybe it was the translation but it often felt like I had skipped a page or important part when I hadn’t.
I was also shocked by the novel’s attitude to women. I’m amazed that an author who wrote such an involving and real character as Emma Bovary can show such misogyny as he does in this book. Delauriers and Frederic’s relationship veers into the romantic and they either hate or worship women - there’s a real madonna/whore complex in it.
Flaubert’s knack for finding the telling detail can also count against him, such as the scene where the dead baby has his portrait painted - a scene that made me feel disgusted.
There’s also the fact that a book on the inevitable mediocrity of growing older was probably not the best book to be reading around my birthday.
These are big flaws, but I would have to agree that it is a completely brilliantly described novel, if a little weak in conception.
Finally, here is a bit of perceptive Flaubert’s description of the post-revolution, which could also easily describe Britain after Brexit.
“Hatred abounded: hatred of primary school teachers and wine merchants, of philosophy classes and history lectures, of novels, red waistcoats, and long beards, of any kind of independence, any display of originality; for it was necessary to ‘restore the principle of authority.”
There are some absolutely wonderful setpieces in this book: alling in love at first sight, of horse-racing, the aftermath of a party. There is also the compelling portrayal of the revolutions of 1848 as well as the best description of a traffic jam I have ever read - and this one with horses and carriages. It admirably captures the hypnotic nature of the wheels, the nosiness and sluggishness and the individual horse riders nipping through like cyclists.
He is as good at describing people as individuals as he is as a group. Who has not met someone who could be described as;
“A man of theory, he respected only the masses and was merciless to individuals.”
All of that, and as much as I admired the book and found things in it as good as any other writing, I could not utterly enjoy it as I did 'Bovary'.
The storyline drifted a little, and the cohesion seemed to lack. Maybe it was the translation but it often felt like I had skipped a page or important part when I hadn’t.
I was also shocked by the novel’s attitude to women. I’m amazed that an author who wrote such an involving and real character as Emma Bovary can show such misogyny as he does in this book. Delauriers and Frederic’s relationship veers into the romantic and they either hate or worship women - there’s a real madonna/whore complex in it.
Flaubert’s knack for finding the telling detail can also count against him, such as the scene where the dead baby has his portrait painted - a scene that made me feel disgusted.
There’s also the fact that a book on the inevitable mediocrity of growing older was probably not the best book to be reading around my birthday.
These are big flaws, but I would have to agree that it is a completely brilliantly described novel, if a little weak in conception.
Finally, here is a bit of perceptive Flaubert’s description of the post-revolution, which could also easily describe Britain after Brexit.
“Hatred abounded: hatred of primary school teachers and wine merchants, of philosophy classes and history lectures, of novels, red waistcoats, and long beards, of any kind of independence, any display of originality; for it was necessary to ‘restore the principle of authority.”
cloudytm's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
blueyorkie's review against another edition
4.0
Flaubert said of "L'Education Sentimentale": "I want to write the moral history of the men of my generation; "sentimental" would be more accurate. It is a book of love, of passion; but of desire such as 'it can exist, i.e. inactive ". I find that this paragraph perfectly illustrates the book's idea, namely that Flaubert offers us a book of Passions through this story, and who says Passions also says Suffering.
Indeed, the author sets up a wide range of characters, each more passionate than the other, and this by their actions or their ambitions: whether it is the fiery and sublime Passion between Frédéric Moreau and Mme Arnoux - but also carnal love with Rosanette, or interested with Mme Dambreuse, which nonetheless both remain passionate loves -, or that of Deslauriers for his career and glory, that of Arnoux for Money and Beauty, that of Pilgrim for Art.
But, like the silent and impossible love between the hero and Madame Arnoux, we see that each individual's search for the ideal and happiness is in vain. Moreover, in the novel's last pages, Frédéric and Deslauriers dwell on their past and note their failure: "And they summed up their life. They both missed it, the one who had dreamed of love [ Frédéric], the one who dreamed of power [Deslauriers]."
Not having heard, a priori, that novel's praise by Flaubert, I opened this book with many apprehensions and the fear of being bored during this reading. But it does not. There is nothing in the end! Of course, there are many lengths, but I enjoyed this read despite that. Fans of Flaubert's style will certainly not be disappointed by "L 'Éducation Sentimentale."
Indeed, the author sets up a wide range of characters, each more passionate than the other, and this by their actions or their ambitions: whether it is the fiery and sublime Passion between Frédéric Moreau and Mme Arnoux - but also carnal love with Rosanette, or interested with Mme Dambreuse, which nonetheless both remain passionate loves -, or that of Deslauriers for his career and glory, that of Arnoux for Money and Beauty, that of Pilgrim for Art.
But, like the silent and impossible love between the hero and Madame Arnoux, we see that each individual's search for the ideal and happiness is in vain. Moreover, in the novel's last pages, Frédéric and Deslauriers dwell on their past and note their failure: "And they summed up their life. They both missed it, the one who had dreamed of love [ Frédéric], the one who dreamed of power [Deslauriers]."
Not having heard, a priori, that novel's praise by Flaubert, I opened this book with many apprehensions and the fear of being bored during this reading. But it does not. There is nothing in the end! Of course, there are many lengths, but I enjoyed this read despite that. Fans of Flaubert's style will certainly not be disappointed by "L 'Éducation Sentimentale."
carmenna's review against another edition
4.0
Sono stata tacciata, per il fatto di aver scelto di leggere L'educazione sentimentale, di pazzia, il che ha contribuito a fare in modo che restassi piacevolmente sorpresa, nel constatare che è un bel libro, e non quella noiosa mostruosità che mi era stata prospettata.
Si legge, tra le pagine della presentazione, che questo libro è "l'epopea della mediocrità"; io credo che esso riesca ad essere, riguardo la sua tematica principale, ancora oggi attuale.
La storia, infatti, è quella di un giovane, Federico Moreau, il quale si innamora di una donna più matura, la signora Arnoux, che però non potrà mai avere, in quanto sposata, e fedele all'adultero marito.
Così tutta la vita di Federico scivola via - in un caleidoscopio di personaggi, rivolte, cene tra nobili, rovesci di fortune - guardando a quello che non è stato mai, ma che avrebbe potuto essere.
Il protagonista, a quanto pare, incarna l'autore stesso, ma potrebbe essere chiunque di noi, qualcuno che ad un certo punto della sua vita si volta indietro, e scopre che l'ha lasciata andare, scappare, senza goderla, in attesa, e perso in qualcosa che non è successo.
Davvero perfetta la descrizione della società del tempo - la storia ha inizio nel 1840 - dei salotti, dei ritrovi, delle rivolte...
incantevole la signora Arnoux ( scrisse il Lugli: " ... a nessuno può sfuggire la delicata figura della signora Arnoux, una creazione di poeta... " ); odioso il traditore Deslauries; diabolica la signora Dambreuse; a tratti tenera e commovente Rosanette; viscido il signor Arnoux.
Un libro che vale la pena di leggere, anche se può risultare noioso, a mio parere, quando l'autore si dilunga sulle dissertazioni politiche dei personaggi.
http://iltesorodicarta.blogspot.it/
Si legge, tra le pagine della presentazione, che questo libro è "l'epopea della mediocrità"; io credo che esso riesca ad essere, riguardo la sua tematica principale, ancora oggi attuale.
La storia, infatti, è quella di un giovane, Federico Moreau, il quale si innamora di una donna più matura, la signora Arnoux, che però non potrà mai avere, in quanto sposata, e fedele all'adultero marito.
Così tutta la vita di Federico scivola via - in un caleidoscopio di personaggi, rivolte, cene tra nobili, rovesci di fortune - guardando a quello che non è stato mai, ma che avrebbe potuto essere.
Il protagonista, a quanto pare, incarna l'autore stesso, ma potrebbe essere chiunque di noi, qualcuno che ad un certo punto della sua vita si volta indietro, e scopre che l'ha lasciata andare, scappare, senza goderla, in attesa, e perso in qualcosa che non è successo.
Davvero perfetta la descrizione della società del tempo - la storia ha inizio nel 1840 - dei salotti, dei ritrovi, delle rivolte...
incantevole la signora Arnoux ( scrisse il Lugli: " ... a nessuno può sfuggire la delicata figura della signora Arnoux, una creazione di poeta... " ); odioso il traditore Deslauries; diabolica la signora Dambreuse; a tratti tenera e commovente Rosanette; viscido il signor Arnoux.
Un libro che vale la pena di leggere, anche se può risultare noioso, a mio parere, quando l'autore si dilunga sulle dissertazioni politiche dei personaggi.
http://iltesorodicarta.blogspot.it/
forever_amber's review against another edition
4.0
https://theblogforculture.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/%D0%B2%D1%8A%D0%B7%D0%BF%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5-%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D1%87%D1%83%D0%B2%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B0-%D0%BE%D1%82-%D0%B3%D1%8E%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%B2/