Reviews

Jezabel by Irène Némirovsky

darkfeds's review against another edition

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 against another edition

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

theportalmaster's review against another edition

5.0

Is this my first five-star read for this year?

The writing is slightly annoying and has an over usage of reticences, but the story is very interesting. The main character is addicted to youth and beauty to the point of going crazy and making terrible, cruel decisions. When it comes to Bernard, I wonder if we are supposed to feel sorry for him? Because if that's the case then it was so wrongly done as I despised him with great passion. Older people have all the rights to love and be loved, have sex and do whatever the fuck they please. Although I understand where his hate for this woman is coming from because of what she did to him, I don't like his reasoning and words at all. I find them both to be very similar to each other. I recommend it.

kansass's review against another edition

3.0

La verdad es que me he sentido algo decepcionada por esta novela a la que le tenia muchas ganas porque aunque Irene Nemirovsky tiene un estilo cercano y muy claro, sin embargo la historia de Gladys me ha resultado, llegado un punto, repetitiva y continuamente centrada en el mismo punto sobre el carácter de Gladys, esa mujer egoista, egocentrica, y tan vacia que es imposible sentir empatia por ella. Irene Nemirovsky no deja resquicio para que puedas detectar ni un punto de humanidad en ella, pero tampoco he sentido nada por ningún otro de los personajes, por los que pasa de puntillas, en ese aspecto me ha faltado profundidad.

De Irene Nemirovsky había leido solo El Baile, que me encantó por lo incisiva y si no recuerdo mal también aborda el tema de madre e hija y el enfrentamiento y conflicto entre ellas, y sin embargo no la recuerdo tan culebronera como esta novela, tan melodrámatica y la profundidad psicológica con esos trazos dar en la diana en lo referente a los sentimientos y conflictos que surgen entre generaciones, aquí en Jezabel lo he echado de menos. Gladys es una caricatura, no me ha parecido real, totalmente exagerada y no por eso quiero decir que no sea de carne y hueso, pero la continua repetición de lo que es el carácter de Gladys, me ha sobrado, ¿cuántas veces se ha puntualizado que Gladys tiene un problema con envejecer y está obsesionada con la edad??? Una y otra vez, asi que creo que la parte que mejor funciona en la novela es el principio, el juicio. Y el giro en la última parte de la novela, me lo esperaba desde casi el principio, nueva decepción. Quizás como relato me hubiera convencido más. (2,5 estrellas)

lola_lab's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

clarisser's review

3.0

3.5

reading_theclassics's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

beccas_books's review against another edition

4.0

This book was on the same level as all of Nemirovsky's other works, so fans of her writing will love it, like I did! My only 'bib' criticism is that the book was about 50 pages too long. It's easy to pick up the dual pity/disdain one should have for the character, who is a vain and selfish woman who cares only for herself, but at the same time only wants to be loved. However, Irène slows down in the middle as to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Once agan, it's a great study of how the human mind works, and gives an opportunity to step into someone else's shoes.

glooria's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

4.5

Lo definirei come la versione al femminile, in tutti i sensi, del “ritratto di Doria Gray”.
Personaggi vivi e discutibili, con dei moventi definiti.
Lo stile di scrittura è veramente ben calibrato, leggero ma pensato.
Una storia, a mio parere bellissima, piena di emozioni tangibili.

thedearest's review against another edition

4.0

Irene Nemirovsky is a genius. This is Dostoevsky compressed and a pocket Anna Karenina--a story about passion and the human condition.