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challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Suicide, Vomit, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Classism
Minor: Eating disorder, Racial slurs, Death of parent
dark
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Grief, Gaslighting, Alcohol
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide, Medical content
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Suicide
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Madame Bovary is perhaps the most controversial book I've read of late, scandalous at the time of release and still a point of debate nowadays, albeit for different reasons. Despite the harsh reviews and rating it receives, I found the novel simply fascinating.
(Spoilers below!)
One of the most common criticisms I've seen is precisely the reason I was so captivated by the story—that Emma Bovary has a comfortable life, a devoted husband and loving child, and she detests them both. She isn't a nice or agreeable person, she has no valid reason to hate her spouse, she hates him solely because he is dull, because their life isn't reminiscent of the sentimental romance books she reads. He worships her, never wants to leave her side when she becomes unwell, and has all the patience of a saint. Every so often she tries to commit to the loving housewife act, and quickly grows tired of it, pushing herself further into despair. Eventually she's drawn to more extreme methods of regaining any amount of happiness, and is tempted into affairs, while at the same time spending all of her husband's money on clothes and furniture for the house, anything to satiate her gluttony and imitate the high society life she dreamed of.
I think the most distinct aspect of Emma's downfall was her unrealistic ways of romanticising a life she couldn't ever lead and in overly relying on these dreamlike ideas as if they were fact. We see this first early on, before and directly after she marries Charles Bovary. Because married life with Charles isn't exactly what her idea of marriage is, it's almost immediately ruined in her mind.We see similar things happen in her affairs, the initial excitement and infatuation which then falls back into the mundanity she despairs of when the lust dies down. Romance means nothing in Madame Bovary, because Emma is only happy in her relationships when sex is the core aspect—and vice versa for her partners. Once the novelty of Emma's sexuality wears off, and the men can see her selfish demands more clearly, they turn to cowardice and run away. Although Emma goes through the motions of this multiple times, she remains naive—because it doesn't suit her romanticisations... which eventually leads to her horrific suicide. Believing that she'll drop off to sleep and die peacefully, like the heroines in books she's read, Emma eats a handful of arsenic, and then spends the next day slowly dying in agony. Time and time again, she puts herself and her family through terrible situations because of how unrealistically she perceives bourgeois life.
I thought this book was incredibly interesting and I don't think people should be put off by the low ratings or of the fact it's primarily about infidelity. I don't like the topic of infidelity much in fiction but I didn't find this uncomfortable to read about at all.
(Spoilers below!)
One of the most common criticisms I've seen is precisely the reason I was so captivated by the story—that Emma Bovary has a comfortable life, a devoted husband and loving child, and she detests them both. She isn't a nice or agreeable person, she has no valid reason to hate her spouse, she hates him solely because he is dull, because their life isn't reminiscent of the sentimental romance books she reads. He worships her, never wants to leave her side when she becomes unwell, and has all the patience of a saint. Every so often she tries to commit to the loving housewife act, and quickly grows tired of it, pushing herself further into despair. Eventually she's drawn to more extreme methods of regaining any amount of happiness, and is tempted into affairs, while at the same time spending all of her husband's money on clothes and furniture for the house, anything to satiate her gluttony and imitate the high society life she dreamed of.
I think the most distinct aspect of Emma's downfall was her unrealistic ways of romanticising a life she couldn't ever lead and in overly relying on these dreamlike ideas as if they were fact. We see this first early on, before and directly after she marries Charles Bovary. Because married life with Charles isn't exactly what her idea of marriage is, it's almost immediately ruined in her mind.
I thought this book was incredibly interesting and I don't think people should be put off by the low ratings or of the fact it's primarily about infidelity. I don't like the topic of infidelity much in fiction but I didn't find this uncomfortable to read about at all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Suicide
Minor: Sexual content
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Grief
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a French literature classic and it should be, it's importance is undeniable and Flaubert's writing is extraordinary, I surprisingly enjoyed Emma as a character because of all her flaws which the book dissects, despite thinking I'd hate her; I did at times hate her but I always understood her and what she did. However, I did find it a quite heavy and boring read, which is probably how it was intended to be as it perfectly showcases the suffocating nature of the small-town, but I honestly can't say it was a truly enjoyable experience (I should probably add that I read this in French which isn't my first language so that could've impacted my overall experience).
All in all, I'm glad I read this book so now I can better understand its role and its importance, but I probably won't be revisiting it any time soon.
All in all, I'm glad I read this book so now I can better understand its role and its importance, but I probably won't be revisiting it any time soon.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
while I get that this is considered a classic and it has a message and everything, I still HATED the book. it was incredibly boring to read and I was really happy once I was finally done. Emma really annoyed the fuck out of me
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide