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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
Annie Ernaux, a Nobel Prize laureate in Literature, was awarded not for a single novel but for the depth and scope of her entire body of work. Despite the brevity of her books, she manages to pour so much of herself into these memoirs and autobiographical novels — Simple Passion being a perfect example.
This particular book is raw, honest, and emotionally intense, if not slightly unhinged. It captures the turmoil of an all-consuming affair Ernaux had with a married Russian diplomat thirty years her junior. While the story itself is quite specific, there’s something deeply relatable in the way she explores desire — not necessarily the affair, but the lust and longing that often accompany a new relationship.
I’m not entirely sure what made it such a compelling read. Perhaps it’s the minimalist writing style, or the emotional clarity she brings to her experiences. It’s hard to tell whether the spareness is a result of the translation or intrinsic to Ernaux’s style — but either way, it works. I don’t typically gravitate toward translated novels, as I often feel there’s (pun intended) something lost in translation!! But with Simple Passion — and also The Possession, which reflects on the aftermath of the affair — it wasn’t as noticeable. If anything, these books feel strikingly immediate and emotionally intact, despite their understated form.
Simple Passion could easily have been a full-length novel, as could many of her other works. And yet, part of its power lies in how much it says with so little.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
fast-paced
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
I, too, am an expert at waiting
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Very short, interesting.
raw and introspective and honest
this “autofiction” left me craving for more. in a way, i loved how exposed ernaux was — like i was witnessing parts of her life she wouldn’t necessarily want others to see. it had a subtle voyeur/exhibitionist dynamic, still entirely innocent and non-invasive. some parts felt serendipitously aligned with my own life, others left me with a faint tinge of envy for the sheer grandiosity of the passion, however undignified.
especially lovely was her reflection on something i’ve often contemplated about previously: “he did not choose to play a part in this book, only in my life.” — which… rightfully so.
this “autofiction” left me craving for more. in a way, i loved how exposed ernaux was — like i was witnessing parts of her life she wouldn’t necessarily want others to see. it had a subtle voyeur/exhibitionist dynamic, still entirely innocent and non-invasive. some parts felt serendipitously aligned with my own life, others left me with a faint tinge of envy for the sheer grandiosity of the passion, however undignified.
especially lovely was her reflection on something i’ve often contemplated about previously: “he did not choose to play a part in this book, only in my life.” — which… rightfully so.
Me ha sorprendido mucho leer este libro, no sabía qué me esperaba ni de qué trataba antes de leerlo pues llegué a él por una recomendación. Sin embargo, me sorprendió y atrapó desde la primera página, con esa imagen que la autora o la voz narrativa (¿hasta qué punto puede ser autobiografía? ¿hasta qué punto ficción?) nos muestra.
Me parece que es una apuesta arriesgada y diferente de la autora al darle la voz a "la otra", a la amante del hombre casado infiel, especialmente por la manera en la que le da esa voz y la forma en que vemos los sentimientos de ella, la obsesión que la consume hasta tal punto de que ella existe para él y para nada más, vive esperándolo, vive imaginándolo en todo momento y en todos lados.
Creo que es muy interesante también la relación tan estrecha entre lo que cuenta y la propia escritura. Se nos presenta como autobiografía (¿de un personaje ficticio? ¿de la autora?), como un intento de guardar esa pasión que siente hacia A., que no quiere que se esfume y que perdure, pero sobre todo quiere que se lea. Escribe su historia para que sea publicada. Sin embargo, cuando más adelante, tras el final de la "relación" relee lo escrito, le produce cierta vergüenza...
Desde luego creo que es uno de mis descubrimientos y no puedo esperar a volver a leer algo más de Ernaux.
Me parece que es una apuesta arriesgada y diferente de la autora al darle la voz a "la otra", a la amante del hombre casado infiel, especialmente por la manera en la que le da esa voz y la forma en que vemos los sentimientos de ella, la obsesión que la consume hasta tal punto de que ella existe para él y para nada más, vive esperándolo, vive imaginándolo en todo momento y en todos lados.
Creo que es muy interesante también la relación tan estrecha entre lo que cuenta y la propia escritura. Se nos presenta como autobiografía (¿de un personaje ficticio? ¿de la autora?), como un intento de guardar esa pasión que siente hacia A., que no quiere que se esfume y que perdure, pero sobre todo quiere que se lea. Escribe su historia para que sea publicada. Sin embargo, cuando más adelante, tras el final de la "relación" relee lo escrito, le produce cierta vergüenza...
Desde luego creo que es uno de mis descubrimientos y no puedo esperar a volver a leer algo más de Ernaux.
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
I enjoyed the writing. I’ll read more of her work. I admired the effort in describing her feelings, without intellectualizing them. This is a quick read that can be a palette cleanser.
"Çocukken benim için lüks, kürk mantolar, uzun elbiseler ve deniz kıyısındaki villalardı. Daha sonra,
bunun entelektüel bir yaşam sürmek olduğuna inandım. Şimdi bana öyle geliyor ki lüks aynı zamanda, bir erkeğe ya da bir kadına olan tutkuyla yaşayabilmektir."
bunun entelektüel bir yaşam sürmek olduğuna inandım. Şimdi bana öyle geliyor ki lüks aynı zamanda, bir erkeğe ya da bir kadına olan tutkuyla yaşayabilmektir."