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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
dark
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
tense
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed the last book of Zola’s that I read (Nana), but, in this one, there’s a lot of very descriptive violence in the very first chapter, and the overall plot deals with grooming and abuse.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Incest
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This just suffered from my 7months of not reading slump:))) otherwise it wasn't that bad but it wasn't enjoyable either. The pace really picked up towards the end so it was alright I didn't struggle with reading it. But I s2g if I read one more line about trains I'll stab my eyeballs out.
An captivating story with passion, murder, and obsession
Key words: French literature, Fiction, historical fiction, crime, thriller
Emile Zola is one of the major authors in France and one of the best-known practitioners of the literary school of naturalism. But don’t you worry, there is not an awful lot of description, just a necessary amount. He lived in Paris in the 19th century. His major work is the Rougon-Macquart series which is composed of twenty books and which tells the story of a typical French family during the Second French Empire. It takes place on three generations. Each book can be read as standalones but you will understand the personalities better if you follow the order. Zola always experienced his story/characters in a way.
The Beast Within is showing the third generation of the Rougon-Macquart. It is talks about the justice as well as about the railway world. Most of the story takes place either on a train or near the tracks. While writing this book, Emile Zola actually lived above a railway station. This dark novel was really good and interesting, making you reflect on the human condition and on what push someone to commit a crime. I enjoyed reading it a lot and even more since it was a buddy-read.
It is quite a complex book but it was not difficult to read. There are so many crimes in this book, and most interestingly, Zola links it to the sexual tension between two persons. I think what I liked the most in this book was the personification of the train, the Lison. It makes the reader feel things towards the train, it is not just a machine anymore. I think you can interpret the title in two way: it could either be about the train becoming human in a way or about Jacques, the human, becoming a beast. I think the characters are very well developed from the beginning and through the book, you can sense what is going to happen. The story is very engaging; it deals with the frailty of human beings and with the dark side that hides (or not) somewhere in our minds. Even though Jacques is depicted as the most horrible character, every one of them expressed their dark side at one point of the story, showing the beast within them.
I would highly recommend this book. There is passion, obsession, and murder, everything to captivate you.
4.5/5
Key words: French literature, Fiction, historical fiction, crime, thriller
Emile Zola is one of the major authors in France and one of the best-known practitioners of the literary school of naturalism. But don’t you worry, there is not an awful lot of description, just a necessary amount. He lived in Paris in the 19th century. His major work is the Rougon-Macquart series which is composed of twenty books and which tells the story of a typical French family during the Second French Empire. It takes place on three generations. Each book can be read as standalones but you will understand the personalities better if you follow the order. Zola always experienced his story/characters in a way.
The Beast Within is showing the third generation of the Rougon-Macquart. It is talks about the justice as well as about the railway world. Most of the story takes place either on a train or near the tracks. While writing this book, Emile Zola actually lived above a railway station. This dark novel was really good and interesting, making you reflect on the human condition and on what push someone to commit a crime. I enjoyed reading it a lot and even more since it was a buddy-read.
It is quite a complex book but it was not difficult to read. There are so many crimes in this book, and most interestingly, Zola links it to the sexual tension between two persons. I think what I liked the most in this book was the personification of the train, the Lison. It makes the reader feel things towards the train, it is not just a machine anymore. I think you can interpret the title in two way: it could either be about the train becoming human in a way or about Jacques, the human, becoming a beast. I think the characters are very well developed from the beginning and through the book, you can sense what is going to happen. The story is very engaging; it deals with the frailty of human beings and with the dark side that hides (or not) somewhere in our minds. Even though Jacques is depicted as the most horrible character, every one of them expressed their dark side at one point of the story, showing the beast within them.
I would highly recommend this book. There is passion, obsession, and murder, everything to captivate you.
4.5/5
Really good stuff. It's kind of like a French "Crime and Punishment", but without the punishment and with a lot more trains.