A review by dori_anne
Pot-Bouille by Émile Zola

3.0

I didn't expect such caricatural novel. I see that Zola questions the apparent morality of bourgeois and wants to show the reader what lay behind the doors of a so called respectable building. And he does it well, so well that no character is the least likeable. Zola takes off all filters ans describes some very crude scenes, and does not fear to use the langage fitting to these kind of depictions. The repetitive structure tired me a little bit, though I understand it contributes to the picture of neverending dramas and vileness. Zola once more struck me with talent for depicting in a very realistic way (I especially think about the delivery of a child scene), but the whole picture seems very caricatural. Not my favorite from Zola, but he had an idea in his mind and he executed it successfully.