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allisonjpmiller's review
3.0
In terms of literary merit, Proust is always a five-star read, but these last two volumes have taken our intrepid narrator into territory I don't particularly like following him through. He's become a bit too much like the bored rich folks he's always scrutinizing ... and yet—I do admire his complete transparency. You'll get some sense and self-awareness knocked into you by journey's end, won't you, M? That's why you're bothering making all these humiliating confessions in the first place.
I believe in you! Even though, dear God in heaven, you should've let Albertine go live her best life in peace 500 pages ago. Get over yourself, dude.
On to The Fugitive ...
I believe in you! Even though, dear God in heaven, you should've let Albertine go live her best life in peace 500 pages ago. Get over yourself, dude.
On to The Fugitive ...
teresac's review against another edition
funny
reflective
tense
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
4.25
steven_nobody's review against another edition
2.0
The musical evening was the best part of this volume as well as a major highlight of the whole series. Although I feel really sorry for Albertine because Marcel is a terrible boyfriend, that part got tedious.
trve_zach's review
I have been saying it for a decade now (when I first began this adventure with Proust and his masterwork), but this is some of the best writing you’re going to find anywhere, even in translation (I can only imagine being able to read the native French text).
This volume focuses mostly on Albertine and the narrator’s obsessive jealousy and need to control her. Truly I did not see the slow build of near-madness that is represented here in unfettered jealousy and paranoia. It made me consider the nature of our narrator and subsequently the entire work in a different, slightly more menacing light. While Albertine is the focus, Charlus and his unhealthy relationships are mirrored here in a queer corollary. The societal games remain, as ever, ridiculous and fun and engaging (especially as applies to Charlus and his thinly veiled sexuality and taboo behavior).
That said, like all other volumes, this book is about so much more: the beauty of a full moon and of music and visual art and the pleasure of being alone, the ability of sense memories to transport, the loss of friends and family, the painful experiences of growing up, and the desire to escape the cocoon of habit.
I read most of this while Khemmis was on tour with Mastodon and Opeth, either in the van or backstage, and it was a great comfort (weirdly enough) to be able to escape some of the more stressful/shitty parts of being on the road. It also makes me fondly reflect on the fun times from that run. I look forward to jumping into volume six hopefully later this year.
This volume focuses mostly on Albertine and the narrator’s obsessive jealousy and need to control her. Truly I did not see the slow build of near-madness that is represented here in unfettered jealousy and paranoia. It made me consider the nature of our narrator and subsequently the entire work in a different, slightly more menacing light. While Albertine is the focus, Charlus and his unhealthy relationships are mirrored here in a queer corollary. The societal games remain, as ever, ridiculous and fun and engaging (especially as applies to Charlus and his thinly veiled sexuality and taboo behavior).
That said, like all other volumes, this book is about so much more: the beauty of a full moon and of music and visual art and the pleasure of being alone, the ability of sense memories to transport, the loss of friends and family, the painful experiences of growing up, and the desire to escape the cocoon of habit.
I read most of this while Khemmis was on tour with Mastodon and Opeth, either in the van or backstage, and it was a great comfort (weirdly enough) to be able to escape some of the more stressful/shitty parts of being on the road. It also makes me fondly reflect on the fun times from that run. I look forward to jumping into volume six hopefully later this year.
rltinha's review against another edition
5.0
O pior de haver deixado passar vários anos entre a leitura dos anteriores volumes e deste V foi mesmo o meu avanço na idade. Com ele deixei de albergar capacidade para aturar com (algum) gosto estados de pura imaturidade emocional e o leque de manipulação e transtorno que lhes é inerente. Por outro lado, o desprezo que tenho pela aristocracia e outros privilégios também teria tudo para fazer de Proust algo a evitar.
E, no entanto, a escrita dele é de tal modo portentosa e gratificante para o leitor que nem mesmo centenas de densas páginas eivadas de pura dor de corno (acrescida de meandrada mesquinha de movidas «sociais») o tiram de um lugar cimeiro do que vale a pena ser lido.
Lerei os restantes volumes. No futuro próximo.
E, no entanto, a escrita dele é de tal modo portentosa e gratificante para o leitor que nem mesmo centenas de densas páginas eivadas de pura dor de corno (acrescida de meandrada mesquinha de movidas «sociais») o tiram de um lugar cimeiro do que vale a pena ser lido.
Lerei os restantes volumes. No futuro próximo.
zmb's review
4.0
In which the narrator evolves from an overeager but mostly genial doofus into an actively malicious prison guard of another, and prisoner of his own jealousy.
cs4_0reads's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
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? Yes
3.5
david_rhee's review against another edition
4.0
I was finally able to pick up the 5th volume of Remembrance of Things Past almost 2 years after finishing Sodom and Gomorrah. Even after that long layoff things just seemed to pick up where they left off which I feel is a testament to Proust's masterful literary flow. Marcel continues to torture himself by imagining that his love Albertine is unfaithful to him. This consuming jealousy dominated Sodom and Gomorrah, so its transition is seamless. He resolves to hold her captive in his home to keep an eye on her, but ironically it is he who really becomes the prisoner. His obsessive efforts to keep Albertine bound in turn entwine around himself and rob him of peace of mind and freedom.
There's no use continuing a synopsis of the book, so I'll focus on Proust's strengths the most notable of which is his description of involuntary sensations. His reflections on memory, subjective beauty, and desire are a treat. All of this is expressed in a flowing prose that carries the reader along in its current. Reading Proust is not a labor, and one needs to save his energy to digest the complicated web of relations which span this giant novel. His keen sense for the manifold nonverbal communications which accompany people's interactions can get overwhelming. I would think a common mistake in reading Proust is to become overly concerned with the event sequence, ie. "what is happening?" It's best to let the sequence fall into place or backtrack with a synopsis later.
There's no use continuing a synopsis of the book, so I'll focus on Proust's strengths the most notable of which is his description of involuntary sensations. His reflections on memory, subjective beauty, and desire are a treat. All of this is expressed in a flowing prose that carries the reader along in its current. Reading Proust is not a labor, and one needs to save his energy to digest the complicated web of relations which span this giant novel. His keen sense for the manifold nonverbal communications which accompany people's interactions can get overwhelming. I would think a common mistake in reading Proust is to become overly concerned with the event sequence, ie. "what is happening?" It's best to let the sequence fall into place or backtrack with a synopsis later.