A review by brettcarl
Les Enfants Terribles by Jean Cocteau

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

3.0

A fascinating, if not pretentious and cold novel that most definitely isn't a crowd-pleaser. Cocteau's prose,which at times can read as elitist and smarmy, is ultimately remarkable and showcases his substantial intellect through his exceptional use of language as seen by how the dialogue fully expresses the character's personality, but also the observations and insights Cocteau expresses are thought-provoking and intriguing. Additionally, the way Cocteau explores, evokes and examines the themes of the novel was fantastic and highly-intriguing too, and was one of the main reasons I kept reading as his exploration of youth as well as the trials, tribulations and realities of life on young people were incredibly insightful and felt not only fresh but important too.
Overall, Les Enfants Terribles is both a perplexing, profound novel exploring two young people both emotional and psychological stunted by the hardships, trials and tribulations of life. However, whether it's a memorable, satisfying, or exemplary novel is another thing and depending on who you ask you're bound to get drastically different answers.