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A review by franklekens
The Conquest of Plassans by Émile Zola, Helen Constantine, Patrick McGuinness
4.0
One of the less well-known titles in the cycle, no doubt, but far from being a dud. On the contrary, this one may have the most gripping narrative, like a narrative vice, of the Zola novels I have read so far. In addition, it starts out as something of an (understated) comedy, spiraling down into black comedy and culminating in downright horror. Like all of the Rougon-Macquart novels I've read so far, it does feel like it's just a little bit longer than it really needed to be (if all of them are about 400 pages, say, you feel that 300 might have sufficed). Still, highly recommended as far as I'm concerned.
And, like so many of these, it feels like it would make a great film. This may have something to do with Zola never delving all that deeply into his characters, with his always picking very distinct (and varied) and usefully symbolic settings and peopling them with a wide array of maybe slightly flat but still distinct, varied and colourful characters.
And, like so many of these, it feels like it would make a great film. This may have something to do with Zola never delving all that deeply into his characters, with his always picking very distinct (and varied) and usefully symbolic settings and peopling them with a wide array of maybe slightly flat but still distinct, varied and colourful characters.