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A review by pascalthehoff
Nana by Émile Zola
funny
lighthearted
slow-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
2.0
Nana has a stage-like quality to it. Almost every chapter at one point leads to a room full of people, quickly waving the perspective focus from one character to the next.
A success on the aesthetical level. But the jumbling of so many homogenous male admirers, which are all introduced at a rapid pace in the beginning, convolutes the entire novel.
Moreover, the major chunk of the novel – between the iconic opening and ending – can best be described as much ado about nothing, for better or (too often) for worse.
This approach effectively portrays the exhausting and chaotic tug-of-war between the men who all want Nana for themselves. However, this rather generic squabbling between the men and Nana doesn't do enough to distinguish itself from other stories in which a femme fetale juggles a bunch of rich men.
Some of the men receive a modest amount of compassion. At different points in their individual downfalls they are painted as tragic figures in their own right – if only with a few small brush strokes. This compassion for the rich may be surprising for a very class-conscious and often class-critical author like Zola, but it definitely fits the bigger picture in its nuanced execution.
Nana herself, as a potentially unforgettable protagonist, mostly shines in the opening and end chapters, with too little spice in most other chapters. She is best when her reckless abandon is most blatantly displayed, which is only too seldom the case.
A success on the aesthetical level. But the jumbling of so many homogenous male admirers, which are all introduced at a rapid pace in the beginning, convolutes the entire novel.
Moreover, the major chunk of the novel – between the iconic opening and ending – can best be described as much ado about nothing, for better or (too often) for worse.
This approach effectively portrays the exhausting and chaotic tug-of-war between the men who all want Nana for themselves. However, this rather generic squabbling between the men and Nana doesn't do enough to distinguish itself from other stories in which a femme fetale juggles a bunch of rich men.
Some of the men receive a modest amount of compassion. At different points in their individual downfalls they are painted as tragic figures in their own right – if only with a few small brush strokes. This compassion for the rich may be surprising for a very class-conscious and often class-critical author like Zola, but it definitely fits the bigger picture in its nuanced execution.
Nana herself, as a potentially unforgettable protagonist, mostly shines in the opening and end chapters, with too little spice in most other chapters. She is best when her reckless abandon is most blatantly displayed, which is only too seldom the case.