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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
Roman in dagboekfragmenten en brieven over de zeventienjarige Vincent de l'Étoile die tijdens de eerste wereldoorlog (de titel slaat op het gebrek aan mannen op het thuisfront) een platonische homoseksuele relatie begint met Marcel Proust, en een fysieke met de frontsoldaat Arthur, die even op verlof is. Ik heb een beetje moeite met schrijvers die als personage worden opgevoerd, het lijkt dan wel alsof de auteur wat van de roem van de schrijver wil laten afstralen op zijn eigen werk, en het kan slecht uitpakken, zeker wanneer de schrijver tekst wordt toegedicht (zie bijv. [b:The Master of Petersburg|6201|The Master of Petersburg|J.M. Coetzee|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1330112889s/6201.jpg|690883]), maar Marcel Proust wordt overtuigend neergezet, al is zijn aanwezigheid met zijn rijke, ziekelijke en artistieke milieu hooguit een mooi contrast met de rauwe werkelijkheid van de oorlog. Die, in de persoon van Arthur en zíjn romance met Vincent, is veel interessanter, en beklijft na lezing veel meer.
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Grief, War
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Gun violence, Homophobia
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
wowwwwww those last three chapters hurt! love the stylization of his writing and weirdly enjoyed him not using quotations! the letters sections was a quick read this shit is juicy and eloquent and still so poignant to today!
Beautifully written. No real dynamic between the characters. Ridiculous plot twist at the end.
besson is an ardent lover. I owe him something back, something that could take and give like how he has taken and given to me. this story will stay with me. the feeling of unending grief that the end struck in me will stay with me.
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
3 stars
There’s two wolves inside of me, one was really into this and the other was painfully aware of the author’s age at the time of writing about this 16 year old getting physical with a 21 year old (while constantly emphasising his age and the severe difference in their maturity)
There’s two wolves inside of me, one was really into this and the other was painfully aware of the author’s age at the time of writing about this 16 year old getting physical with a 21 year old (while constantly emphasising his age and the severe difference in their maturity)
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes