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A review by omnibozo22
The Captive by Marcel Proust
3.0
First, we finally hear the name of the narrator of all these lost memories, Marcel. Oops, I mistyped it as "Maurice" previously. We learn this through an absolute breaking of the fourth wall (which doesn't quite work in literature) when the narrator turns to the reader and proclaims that "his name is the same as the writer of this book." Odd.
Anyway, Marcel continues to be the same ole paranoid, asshole prick that he was in the previous books. He drives his latest "love," Albertine, away with his constant distrust. We don't ever hear a purely Albertine perspective on those accusations, so we'll never know. We don't need to. Marcel is just a prick. After finally getting a little tongue from her, and eventually viewing her naked, he quickly scans over her body, then fixates on her... hooked nose. Eh? Fuck you Marcel.
This audiobook version is divided into seven books, so two to go. I'll finish them, but without joy. Even keeping in mind that, for their time, they were special, is not enough to much appreciate them today. I will read another Flaubert, and a couple more Balzac (mainly because of seeing two versions of his statue in LA... one in a massive cloak and one nude... which is how he wrote, nude, standing up).
Anyway, Marcel continues to be the same ole paranoid, asshole prick that he was in the previous books. He drives his latest "love," Albertine, away with his constant distrust. We don't ever hear a purely Albertine perspective on those accusations, so we'll never know. We don't need to. Marcel is just a prick. After finally getting a little tongue from her, and eventually viewing her naked, he quickly scans over her body, then fixates on her... hooked nose. Eh? Fuck you Marcel.
This audiobook version is divided into seven books, so two to go. I'll finish them, but without joy. Even keeping in mind that, for their time, they were special, is not enough to much appreciate them today. I will read another Flaubert, and a couple more Balzac (mainly because of seeing two versions of his statue in LA... one in a massive cloak and one nude... which is how he wrote, nude, standing up).