Reviews

Nadja by André Breton

quesatiya's review against another edition

is it really surrealism or is it just confusing 

daydreams's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

5.0

iriidescent's review

4.0

"Perhaps my life is nothing but an image of this kind; perhaps I am doomed to retrace my steps under the illusion that I am exploring, doomed to try and learn what I should simply recognize, learning a mere fraction of what I have forgotten."

This was the first surrealist novel I have read and it was absolutely beautiful. The style is very unique and the drawings and photographs incorporated in the novel made the story a lot more enjoyable. It took me a while to get into it, but once I did, I really enjoyed it.

dmsehnert's review

challenging reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

rip andré breton you would have loved invisible string by taylor swift! 

littlewitchreading's review

4.0

Yes, yes, yes, yes. This book made me feel like I was simultaneously having a causal conversation and a panic attack and a lucid dream all at once. Read this for a literature course and it sort of made all the other novels for the semester ring hollow and fall flat.

senoyreve's review

challenging emotional funny informative slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

Nadja is the first manic pixie dream girl, throughout the page of the book you learn very tangential things about her, but all secondhand, this is because the book is a seemingly autobiographical account from what it seems, but to see Andre desire this empty shell it leaves much to be desired. the writing is great but altogether its very French, long drawn out romantic paragraphs about the streets and parties they go too. it feels like a laundry list of names that Breton knew during the time of the writing of the book so that his involvement in dada would be written somewhere, the book is short and that is an upside, more than the 160 pages in this volume (and tbqh about 60 of those), it would be too much. Breton explores a lot of interesting ideas which are hidden by his overly romantic and descriptive writing style. 

veara_'s review against another edition

Unnecessary long and convoluted sentences coupled with an uninteresting story of the author objectifying his love interest. 

irlgoron's review

challenging emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

casparb's review

4.0

This roams into the strong 3.5 territory it is a difficulty it is wonderful and Breton-y in the way I adored when I read the Manifestoes of Surrealism which are still exquisite and explosive and deserving a reread but Nadja is overlapping hauntings and painful therein. André can be earnestly beautiful. His prose is certainly among the best of the era.

I think Nadja the person tears holes in this text. What happens to her is heartbreaking, but because it is a true story and Nadja was indeed Nadja and Breton had this relationship with her. It doesn't cast him in the best light. Compelled the imagination for many days.

demonikchimney's review against another edition

informative mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.0