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A review by zosia
Swann in Love by Marcel Proust
5.0
If you feel intimidated by or are not sure about starting Proust’s monumental In Search of Lost Time, like I was, Swann in Love is a perfect way to get introduced to his prose and thus make up your mind if that’s an author for you. The text is actually a part of Swann’s Way (the first volume of In Search of Lost Time) but can be read as a perfect standalone novella. It’s not a plot-based story but instead a circular, stream-of-consciousness study on love as a fluid, memory-triggered state of mind and its relation to art, especially music, all set against the backdrop of fin de siècle France.
The writing instantly made me think of Virginia Woolf, which I love – rewarding but demanding some focus and time. I don’t think Proust’s writing is for everyone, but it definitely worked for me and I cannot wait to dive into the famous 7-volume series next. I’ve read the new translation by Lucy Raitz (coming out later this year as Deluxe Edition by Pushkin Press) which I found very readable and engaging. 5 out of 5 stars for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the e-ARC.
The writing instantly made me think of Virginia Woolf, which I love – rewarding but demanding some focus and time. I don’t think Proust’s writing is for everyone, but it definitely worked for me and I cannot wait to dive into the famous 7-volume series next. I’ve read the new translation by Lucy Raitz (coming out later this year as Deluxe Edition by Pushkin Press) which I found very readable and engaging. 5 out of 5 stars for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the e-ARC.