Reviews

The Yellow Eyes of Crocodiles by Katherine Pancol

taste_column's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

crinela0998's review against another edition

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emotional funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

heta96's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

malaneycwick's review against another edition

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4.0

When I started reading this book I was in search of something wholesome and without too much weight to it; something light.
Though this story carries some heavy topics, the author did a phenomenal job putting the right amount of time into said topics while still keeping the story light.
I loved it. Would absolutely recommend đź’›

ditahunter's review against another edition

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1.0

Cuando empece a leer este libro me desquicie demasiado. Su narrativa me parece muy desorganizada, cambiando tan rapidamente y en la misma frase de primera a tercera persona cuando, si se trata de un pensamiento podria usar la cursiva o las tipicas comillas.
Los personajes no dan la sensación de evolución hasta casi el final del libro y el cierre de los diferentes arcos (la historia de Marce, la de Iris y todos los demas) no me dejo sino más descontenta, aunque no me parecieron malos pero si bastante predecibles. Ademas se plantea a la mujer desde un punto de vista un poco machista.
No ha sido hasta el final cuando este libro a logrado despertar en mi curiosidad y ganas de saber que seguia despues. Lo que me hace plantearme si serĂ­a una muy mala idea leerme los otros dos libros de esta saga que tanto parece haber gustado.
En definitiva es un libro pasa pasar el rato y si no tienes otra cosa más a mano que leer, pero que requiere de paciencia para no acabar odiandolo y dejarlo de lado -yo misma me lo plantee-.

caladhiel80's review against another edition

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4.0

J’ai lu ce livre de Katherine Pancol dans le cadre du challenge Bookjar Auteurs auquel je participe avec ma binômette Nessa du blog Book'n'love.

J’avais envie de découvrir cette auteure, et j’avoue que les titres de cette saga m’intriguaient beaucoup. Eh bien, je dois reconnaître que le voyage aux côtés des crocodiles m’a beaucoup plu !

Dans ce roman contemporain, l’auteure nous fait découvrir des tranches de vie de plusieurs membres d’une famille pour le moins hétéroclite. Certains personnages sont plutôt attachants et tour à tour on a envie de les aider ou de les secouer, d’autres sont quant à eux carrément détestables et on leur collerait volontiers des baffes toutes les dix pages. On a donc à travers cette histoire somme tout relativement classique un panel d’émotions et de comportements divers et variés.

Même si au départ, le rythme de la narration est plus lent que ce que j’ai l’habitude de lire et que j’ai eu par moments l’impression de ne pas avancer, je n’en ai pas moins réellement apprécié ma lecture. En effet, chaque élément est à sa place, et au fur et à mesure où l’histoire avance, les pièces du puzzle s’imbriquent les unes dans les autres et permettent alors de comprendre l’importance de chaque détail lu plus tôt. L’histoire est vraiment tissée et enchevêtrée comme une toile d’araignée, tout en étant facile à comprendre.

Les yeux jaunes des crocodiles est un récit plein d’humanité, qui nous montre que les relations humaines sont loin d’être toujours faciles ou innées, ni bénéfiques vu la toxicité de certaines personnes qui font parfois partie de notre entourage très proche. Ce livre nous montre à quel point on gagne à s’affirmer et à oser dire non quand il le faut. J’ai vraiment aimé voir les différents protagonistes évoluer, grandir, se remettre en question parfois et apprendre de leurs erreurs aussi.

Le style de l’auteure est simple, sans fioriture, se lit aisément et colle parfaitement avec le récit. Cela rend l’ensemble encore plus cohérent et donc plaisant.

En conclusion, une belle histoire d’humanité, et je lirai la suite avec je pense tout autant de plaisir !

sometimes_iread's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I’ve always been rather aware when a work that I’m reading is a translation because it tends to read clunkier than if it were originally written in the language that I’m reading it in. The Yellow Eyes of Crocodiles by Katherine Pancol and translated by William Rodarmor and Helen Dickinson, however, was anything but. It wasn’t till I checked the author information that I realised I was reading a translation. Impressive, indeed. 

Crocodiles is a multi-narrative that follows Josephine and her family as they navigate life after Josephine’s split from her husband. We watch Josephine as she grows into herself, cheering on each success and groaning through each setback. The plot itself holds little surprise, yet it remains enjoyable due to the journey and not the just the destination. 

Although Josephine is undoubtedly the main character of the book, and the character I liked the most, various other narratives were woven in that gave greater depth to events and characterizations, giving us lots more show than tell. We have the bit on Josephine’s stepfather’s quest to have a son of his own which in turn gave greater insight into the dynamics of the mother-daughter triad of Josephine, her sister Iris, and their mother. We also have the bit on Josephine’s ex-husband to contrast and highlight Josephine’s growth. All in all, I thought this was a delightful read and was pleased as punch to find out that there are two sequels to this. Definitely going to pick them up to continue Josephine’s journey!

Diversity meter:
Strong female characters

jacki_f's review against another edition

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4.0

This is a delightfully frothy french novel centered on two sisters: Iris and Josephine. Iris has gone through life as the beautiful and glamourous one and is married to a high profile lawyer with whom she has one son. Josephine is the introverted intellectual, a historian specialising in the 12th century. When the book opens she is kicking out her husband Antoine who has been having an affair with another woman and is trying to ascertain how she will take care of her two daughters. When Iris asks her to write a novel for her - one that will be published under Iris's name - Josephine agrees, not really thinking through what the consequences will be.

I adored this book which reads like a French screwball comedy movie. It's crammed with a host of sub-plots and quirky characters, from Josephine's enigmatic neighbour Shirley who is mysterious about her past but highly skilled at karate, to their gold digging mother, from a secretary with a heart of gold to Prince William and Mick Jagger. While it touches on serious subjects such as sibling rivalry and creating your own Second Act in life, it's also a tremendously entertaining and occasional laugh out loud romp. Apparently it's the first of a trilogy and I can only hope that English translations of the two subsequent novels follow quickly.

pachypedia's review against another edition

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2.0

Todos los personajes de este libro me han parecido horribles, no me ha gustado ni uno solo. Además, las historias son irreales, para nada creíbles.

bluenemesis's review against another edition

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2.0

Writing was too awkward. Not sure if something was lost in translation.