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romankurys's review against another edition
3.0
This was an ok story. In a way, if you are picking up Balzac, you probably know what to expect, and that is also the case with this novella.
Characters: 3
I found it particularly interesting to read this story in the modern time, since you can just google everyone. Here we are spending our time with a few people who do not know one another, but are riding together in a carriage.
Boasting begins and each person begins to build a web of lies as to who they are.
Their real personas are either enlarged or replaced entirely by another one.
This makes it funny, in a way. How far would a person go?
Plot: 3
Very quickly we are riding in a carriage full of very important personages. There isn’t much plot to the story, although there is a little attempt at a plot twist that as a reader you see coming from a mile away. Don’t get me wrong, it is still funny nonetheless.
I kept thinking about being able to just google what the famous person looks like or logically think about the possibility of a famous and wealth person riding a carriage, crammed into a small space with 5 others.
Its like believing Jeff Bezos flying coach.
Setting: 2
Setting was ok. There was not much of a setting here, as you can imagine. Just typical surroundings, mansions and road in a carriage. This story was not about the setting. As Balzac likes to do, this story focused more on describing life as it was back in his days.
Overall, if you enjoy classics, this is a fun story to read. It does not take much time to finish and it is in many places very funny. Don’t expect genius to shine thorugh here.
Roman “Ragnar”
Characters: 3
I found it particularly interesting to read this story in the modern time, since you can just google everyone. Here we are spending our time with a few people who do not know one another, but are riding together in a carriage.
Boasting begins and each person begins to build a web of lies as to who they are.
Their real personas are either enlarged or replaced entirely by another one.
This makes it funny, in a way. How far would a person go?
Plot: 3
Very quickly we are riding in a carriage full of very important personages. There isn’t much plot to the story, although there is a little attempt at a plot twist that as a reader you see coming from a mile away. Don’t get me wrong, it is still funny nonetheless.
I kept thinking about being able to just google what the famous person looks like or logically think about the possibility of a famous and wealth person riding a carriage, crammed into a small space with 5 others.
Its like believing Jeff Bezos flying coach.
Setting: 2
Setting was ok. There was not much of a setting here, as you can imagine. Just typical surroundings, mansions and road in a carriage. This story was not about the setting. As Balzac likes to do, this story focused more on describing life as it was back in his days.
Overall, if you enjoy classics, this is a fun story to read. It does not take much time to finish and it is in many places very funny. Don’t expect genius to shine thorugh here.
Roman “Ragnar”
blebor6's review
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
lnatal's review against another edition
3.0
Free download available at Project Gutenberg.
The original French text is available at La Bibliothèque électronique du Québec.
Opening lines:
Les chemins de fer, dans un avenir aujourd’hui peu éloigné, doivent faire disparaître certaines industries, en modifier quelques autres, et surtout celles qui concernent les différents modes de transport en usage pour les environs de Paris.
Scènes de la vie privée :
3* La maison du Chat-qui-pelote (1830)
3* Le bal de Sceaux (1830)
3* La Bourse (1830)
4* La Vendetta (1830)
3* Madame Firmiani (1832)
3* Une Double Famille (1830)
4* La paix du ménage (1830)
3* La Fausse Maîtresse (1842)
3* Étude de femme (1830)
4* Albert Savarus (1842)
4* Mémoires de Deux Jeunes Mariées (1841)
3* Le Colonel Chabert (1844, first published as La transaction, 1832)
4* Une fille d'Eve (1839)
3* La Femme Abandonee (1833)
4* La Grenadière (1832)
3* Le Message (1833)
3* Gobeseck (1830)
3* Autre Etude de Femme (1839-1842)
4* La Femme de Trente Ans (1834)
4* Le Contrat de Marriage (1835)
3* La Messe de L'Athee (1832)
2* Beatrix (1839)
4* La Grande Bretèche (1832)
3* Modeste Mignon (1844)
2* Honorine (1843)
3* Un Début dans la Vie (1844)
End of the series "Études de moeurs: Scènes de la vie privée series".
The original French text is available at La Bibliothèque électronique du Québec.
Opening lines:
Les chemins de fer, dans un avenir aujourd’hui peu éloigné, doivent faire disparaître certaines industries, en modifier quelques autres, et surtout celles qui concernent les différents modes de transport en usage pour les environs de Paris.
Scènes de la vie privée :
3* La maison du Chat-qui-pelote (1830)
3* Le bal de Sceaux (1830)
3* La Bourse (1830)
4* La Vendetta (1830)
3* Madame Firmiani (1832)
3* Une Double Famille (1830)
4* La paix du ménage (1830)
3* La Fausse Maîtresse (1842)
3* Étude de femme (1830)
4* Albert Savarus (1842)
4* Mémoires de Deux Jeunes Mariées (1841)
3* Le Colonel Chabert (1844, first published as La transaction, 1832)
4* Une fille d'Eve (1839)
3* La Femme Abandonee (1833)
4* La Grenadière (1832)
3* Le Message (1833)
3* Gobeseck (1830)
3* Autre Etude de Femme (1839-1842)
4* La Femme de Trente Ans (1834)
4* Le Contrat de Marriage (1835)
3* La Messe de L'Athee (1832)
2* Beatrix (1839)
4* La Grande Bretèche (1832)
3* Modeste Mignon (1844)
2* Honorine (1843)
3* Un Début dans la Vie (1844)
End of the series "Études de moeurs: Scènes de la vie privée series".
alexture's review against another edition
4.0
Voilà un bel exemple de livre où il ne se passe rien mais où on est quand même happé par l'intrigue.
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