Reviews

Babylon by Linda Asher, Yasmina Reza

freiesjammern's review against another edition

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reflective slow-paced

4.75

stef369's review against another edition

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4.0

Gelezen in originele, Franse uitgave.
Deze roman begint met een mooie, poëtische beschrijving van een foto van Robert Frank uit "The Americans" en boeit meteen om door te lezen - een goeie tip is trouwens om de foto even op te zoeken op Google! - daarna komt het verhaal een beetje moeilijk op gang, je hebt wat moeite om je in te leven - maar als de fatale gebeurtenissen beginnen, dan word je meteen meegesleept in wat een soort Agatha Christie of Edgar Allan Poe zou kunnen zijn... Zonder dramatisch te worden, zelfs een tikje humoristisch, leidt de auteur je door een bijna absurd moordverhaal. Heel mooi zijn de reflecties tussendoor over de "vergeefsheid" van de "gewone" dingen in het leven... Geraffineerd geschreven, met veel stijl en wijsheid. Hier lees ik nog iets van!

lenamarie1's review against another edition

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dark funny mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

ruthie_'s review against another edition

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dark reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

madelmann's review against another edition

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adventurous dark reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

lola425's review against another edition

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3.0

What a weird little book. The way someone would react to the motivating action of the book seems pretty straightforward, but then you meet Elisabeth who acts so completely the opposite of how a rational person would act for what appears to be no real motive. She lets herself be carried along by her decisions. Interesting read.

martinedejong's review against another edition

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5.0

“Als er in het derde bedrijf een geweer afgaat, dan tone men dit geweer in het eerste bedrijf.” ~ Anton Tsjechov (met dank aan de Das Mag Scheurkalender)

lisamit5a's review against another edition

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

4.25

kaydee's review against another edition

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3.0

Reza’s observations on the human condition are spot on as always however the plot of this one confounded me.

abby_writes's review against another edition

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5.0

I thought this book would be one of the quiet character studies I enjoy, and it both was and wasn’t. Narrated by a middle-aged woman, Babylon mixed a sense of nostalgia and sentimentality with regret and a desire for something, anything, exciting to happen in one’s life again. In order to force something interesting, Elisabeth hosts a spring party that propels the evening toward a darker turn. I was not expecting the twist. Overall, it was compelling and the ending left me quite melancholy.