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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
Al realismo del romanzo di costume di Flaubert, che con il suo Madame Bovary ha fatto scandalo, oltre che storia, preferisco a mia sorpresa l'allievo: l'antieroe di Maupassant, Bel-Ami, è straordinario.
L'egoista, arrivista e sensuale Georges Duroy è la sintesi perfetta di una società viziata e corrotta, la sua totale mancanza di scrupoli lo rende a mio avviso uno dei personaggi più interessanti della letteratura francese dell'Ottocento. Non ci sono in questo protagonista tutti i tratti salienti che portano il lettore a simpatizzare con l'eroe coraggioso, leale, passionale e valoroso; quello che emerge è soltanto la decadente, cinica freddezza necessaria per scalare la società, manipolare i meno furbi e acquistare potere. Mi domando cosa sarebbe successo se Bel-Ami avesse incontrato sulla sua strada una Rossella O'hara, una che gli avrebbe reso la vita un tantino meno in discesa... probabilmente Frank e Claire Underwood avrebbero avuto un'ottima lezione impartita da due Maestri
L'egoista, arrivista e sensuale Georges Duroy è la sintesi perfetta di una società viziata e corrotta, la sua totale mancanza di scrupoli lo rende a mio avviso uno dei personaggi più interessanti della letteratura francese dell'Ottocento. Non ci sono in questo protagonista tutti i tratti salienti che portano il lettore a simpatizzare con l'eroe coraggioso, leale, passionale e valoroso; quello che emerge è soltanto la decadente, cinica freddezza necessaria per scalare la società, manipolare i meno furbi e acquistare potere. Mi domando cosa sarebbe successo se Bel-Ami avesse incontrato sulla sua strada una Rossella O'hara, una che gli avrebbe reso la vita un tantino meno in discesa... probabilmente Frank e Claire Underwood avrebbero avuto un'ottima lezione impartita da due Maestri
Duroy grows increasingly heartless as the story progresses, but in some twisted way it was kind of fun to follow him through his journey under petticoats with his moustache twitching. Duroy climbs to the top by clinging to women's thighs, and sometimes by luck he gets an opportunity to advance in his career through somewhat macabre means. The little slimeball is a mimic and an upstart, although he wants to be a greatly admired gentleman. Even his first article is only literally his handwriting, because the ideas and thoughts are those of Madame Forestier (who actually "helps" her husband in his articles as well).
The worldview is cynical, yes, but there is also cheerful and amusing satire. The novel mocks mediocrity, and I think it's not meant to be taken as deadly serious as some seem to have done. Maupassant is one of those easily readable classic authors, whose texts don't challenge, but whose stories tangle the reader into their webs.
The worldview is cynical, yes, but there is also cheerful and amusing satire. The novel mocks mediocrity, and I think it's not meant to be taken as deadly serious as some seem to have done. Maupassant is one of those easily readable classic authors, whose texts don't challenge, but whose stories tangle the reader into their webs.
After a two month hiatus I am back with the 45th book from my Classics Club list. That’s 45% of my list done and I’m only 32 books behind schedule ;-)
Going into Bel Ami I thought I knew what the book was about, but I wasn’t aware it had a subtitle, The History of a Scoundrel, which would’ve told me I was in no way correct!
If I’m honest I chose Bel Ami because it was short and accessible on my phone. (Thank you Kindle iPhone app, this isn’t the first time you’ve saved me from boredom.) I forgot the next book I wanted to read and an hour is a long time for lunch so I started this and read it pretty quickly. You’d think I would use lunch and my commute to catch up on my 10+ hours of back logged podcasts to listen to, but no why would I do that when there are more books to read!?
Continue reading on my book blog at geoffwhaley.com.
Going into Bel Ami I thought I knew what the book was about, but I wasn’t aware it had a subtitle, The History of a Scoundrel, which would’ve told me I was in no way correct!
If I’m honest I chose Bel Ami because it was short and accessible on my phone. (Thank you Kindle iPhone app, this isn’t the first time you’ve saved me from boredom.) I forgot the next book I wanted to read and an hour is a long time for lunch so I started this and read it pretty quickly. You’d think I would use lunch and my commute to catch up on my 10+ hours of back logged podcasts to listen to, but no why would I do that when there are more books to read!?
Continue reading on my book blog at geoffwhaley.com.
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was going back and forth on how I should rate this book. It is in parts fantastically written, but the ending left me a little cold.
I guess what bothers me is that I didn’t feel that there was one coherent theme in the end - no point the book was trying to make with every page that was written. I mean, sure, you could say that this book is about moral corruption or that it is critiquing French society in the 19th century or that it’s about the trappings of infidelity or pride or death or greed or or or or…
But that’s exactly the problem - the book is about too much. It has too many themes that are taken up and consequently dropped after a chapter or two. Admittedly, these excursions were always insightful, emotionally resonant and supported by great prose. But it’s simply not enough to make the ending hit home.
It is the opposite feeling I had when reading Great Gatsby, where the ending tied the book together in a way I didn’t anticipate while reading it. In Bel Ami, I was expecting it to come to some grand conclusion, some grand monologue about the meaning of all this. But it just kind of leaves you hanging. Everything is what it seems, and nothing mattered more or less than anything else.
I guess what bothers me is that I didn’t feel that there was one coherent theme in the end - no point the book was trying to make with every page that was written. I mean, sure, you could say that this book is about moral corruption or that it is critiquing French society in the 19th century or that it’s about the trappings of infidelity or pride or death or greed or or or or…
But that’s exactly the problem - the book is about too much. It has too many themes that are taken up and consequently dropped after a chapter or two. Admittedly, these excursions were always insightful, emotionally resonant and supported by great prose. But it’s simply not enough to make the ending hit home.
It is the opposite feeling I had when reading Great Gatsby, where the ending tied the book together in a way I didn’t anticipate while reading it. In Bel Ami, I was expecting it to come to some grand conclusion, some grand monologue about the meaning of all this. But it just kind of leaves you hanging. Everything is what it seems, and nothing mattered more or less than anything else.
challenging
dark
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Antisemitism
Minor: Colonisation
Un vrai tourbillon. Le lecteur n'est jamais frustré plus d'une page, l'événement qui est annoncé arrive comme une bourrasque. l'humour est décapant, les personnages ambigus, les situations impossibles. Du grand art !
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Amazing book. Entertaining from begging to end, and written beautifully.