Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
"All our souls are written in our eyes."
Edmond Rostand did it to me again. #swoon
Edmond Rostand did it to me again. #swoon
I feel like I could've liked this okay more if I actually saw it rather than read it. I didn't think it was extremely funny, but I appreciated Cyrano's witty remarks and insults. The idea of self-image vs. love really got to me... I wish Cyrano could look past his internal struggles.
I read this a long time ago, and came across a radio play of it again. Since it had been a while (and since it stars Kenneth Branagh and Tom Hiddleston) I decided to give it a go again. As I was listening, I was captivated! Why wasn't this something I owned earlier - reading, re-reading, and committing to memory all my favorite wittily worded phrases!? How could I have forgotten this? The language is amazing. I love the play on words, the sharp banter back and forth between Cyrano and … well, everyone. Rostand loves words… loves everything about words… how they sound, how they cut, how they heal, how you can be stuck without them, and exalted with them. It’s a love story with words! Beautiful!!
>>
Then, the second half of the story hits. Right in the kisser. The facade starts to unravel, and what was a hilarious comedy starts turning into a slow, torturous tragedy. In the course of a couple of hours, I've run the gamut of emotions from laughing hysterically to “No! Wait! WHY!?” I’m not necessarily saying this is a bad thing. On the contrary, the fact that it strikes such rich and varying emotions is remarkable (and kind of the point with writing, yeah?). But the ending reminded me why it’s not something I listen to every day. That being said, I will listen to it again, many more times…but I’ll probably follow it up with My Little Ponies, or something with fluffy bunnies, so as not to completely hang myself later. Beautiful. Hilarious. Heartbreaking. Tragic. Whew. What a play.
>>
Then, the second half of the story hits. Right in the kisser. The facade starts to unravel, and what was a hilarious comedy starts turning into a slow, torturous tragedy. In the course of a couple of hours, I've run the gamut of emotions from laughing hysterically to “No! Wait! WHY!?” I’m not necessarily saying this is a bad thing. On the contrary, the fact that it strikes such rich and varying emotions is remarkable (and kind of the point with writing, yeah?). But the ending reminded me why it’s not something I listen to every day. That being said, I will listen to it again, many more times…but I’ll probably follow it up with My Little Ponies, or something with fluffy bunnies, so as not to completely hang myself later. Beautiful. Hilarious. Heartbreaking. Tragic. Whew. What a play.
That’s how it ends?!
I decided to read this play because I wanted to attend a Fathom Events screening starring James McAvoy. Nothing gets me picking up a book faster than a film adaptation to read alongside it. I watched the play last night at the movies and it was more of an avant-garde poetic interpretation rather than a direct copy of the original play. It wasn't quite what I wanted but James McAvoy is a beautiful man, both artistically and aesthetically.
Cyrano de Bergerac was a very funny play and I enjoyed reading it. I didn't like the premise because Cyrano felt that his large nose made him undeserving of love. He's in love with his cousin, Roxanne (ew) but fears she cannot return his feelings because of his appearance. Cyrano agrees to lend his vocabulary prowess to a handsome soldier who is also trying to woo Roxanne. Although this play was written centuries ago, I'm still mad at the relevancy of the premise. The play luckily comes to the conclusion that the inside is far more important than the outside. It took way too long for these characters to realize this but alas! I'm pleased I can finally check off this classic play from my TBR. Who "nose" what book I'll enjoy next?
I decided to read this play because I wanted to attend a Fathom Events screening starring James McAvoy. Nothing gets me picking up a book faster than a film adaptation to read alongside it. I watched the play last night at the movies and it was more of an avant-garde poetic interpretation rather than a direct copy of the original play. It wasn't quite what I wanted but James McAvoy is a beautiful man, both artistically and aesthetically.
Cyrano de Bergerac was a very funny play and I enjoyed reading it. I didn't like the premise because Cyrano felt that his large nose made him undeserving of love. He's in love with his cousin, Roxanne (ew) but fears she cannot return his feelings because of his appearance. Cyrano agrees to lend his vocabulary prowess to a handsome soldier who is also trying to woo Roxanne. Although this play was written centuries ago, I'm still mad at the relevancy of the premise. The play luckily comes to the conclusion that the inside is far more important than the outside. It took way too long for these characters to realize this but alas! I'm pleased I can finally check off this classic play from my TBR. Who "nose" what book I'll enjoy next?
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Cyrano de Bergerac ormai è iconico, tutti conoscono il suo nasone, e spesso in questi casi ci si approccia all'opera originale col timore che il protagonista non sia all'altezza della sua fama (così è stato per Dracula, ad esempio); nel caso di Cyrano invece è il contrario, il personaggio che si rivela al lettore è un vulcano di vitalità, pieno di sfaccettature e molto più complesso dell'amante sfortunato dal grosso naso che è diventato nell'immaginario popolare: spavaldo e spaccone, pronto a fare gesti grandiosi ma di una suscettibilità quasi ridicola, abilissimo spadaccino e tenerissimo poeta. Incapace di scendere a compromessi e di poter essere altro che se stesso, domina col suo carisma perfino le scene in cui non è presente e gli altri personaggi impallidiscono al suo confronto, anche Rossana che pure dovrebbe essere la protagonista femminile.
Le contraddizioni di Cyrano rispecchiano quelle dell'intera opera, un dramma tragicomico in cui la comicità, l'eroismo e l'amore vanno a braccetto. I versi inizialmente mi preoccupavano un po', invece aggiungono fascino alla vicenda e la trasformano in una ballata dal sapore antico; anzi il mio più grande rammarico è di averli letti con una traduzione poco riuscita, che a mio parere ne ha sciupato la musicalità semplificandoli ed attualizzandoli troppo.
Un classico che va assolutamente recuperato, per scoprire la vera grandezza di Cyrano al di là del suo naso.
Le contraddizioni di Cyrano rispecchiano quelle dell'intera opera, un dramma tragicomico in cui la comicità, l'eroismo e l'amore vanno a braccetto. I versi inizialmente mi preoccupavano un po', invece aggiungono fascino alla vicenda e la trasformano in una ballata dal sapore antico; anzi il mio più grande rammarico è di averli letti con una traduzione poco riuscita, che a mio parere ne ha sciupato la musicalità semplificandoli ed attualizzandoli troppo.
Un classico che va assolutamente recuperato, per scoprire la vera grandezza di Cyrano al di là del suo naso.
The play is fine; not crazy about this translation
It's been a while since I enjoyed a book I had to read for school but this is definitely one of the few. I wouldn't say it's my new favourite book, especially since I'm not overly fond of the play/drama formatting. Nonetheless, the dramatic poets were very amusing and I liked the dramatic irony.
Definitely recommend this book to theater fans.
Definitely recommend this book to theater fans.
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
One of the best and funniest plays I have ever read that has a heart at its core. It's too bad that the ending is both a timeskip and abrupt.