Scan barcode
sephranix's review against another edition
3.0
Good lord. The most I can say for this book is that Emma is kind of a trainwreck. And the author clearly hates the upperclass/bourgeoisie.
literaturev's review against another edition
3.0
Jaren geleden de film adaptatie gekeken. Eergisteren dacht te lezen want misschien is het boekversie veel beter. Al is het heel mooi geschreven vind ik het hele verhaal nog zo zo…
nelehjr's review against another edition
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14497375
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14497375
nbtroy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jo_strader's review against another edition
1.0
Words fail when trying to convey just how much I hated every second of this book. I don't think I have ever hated a character as much as I hated Madame Bovary and I pretty much hated Voldemort with every cell in my body. I understand that Flaubert was going for realism, but Emma was beyond realism. She seemed a caricature of all that I would hate in a woman. A bored simpleton who thinks obsessively only about herself and makes the stupidest decisions. Yep, I am convinced that Flaubert had a time machine, flew to my part of the world, read my mind and then drew up a character that I would despise. I never give books one star but here we are with only one star. I cannot give it more. I certainly hope when I take my English exam next semester that this book is not on it because I truly do not want to waste one more moment thinking about it.
komeleon's review against another edition
4.0
The first message of the book seems to be (whether Flaubert intended it to be) that women of that century (or even now) could not be fully fulfilled by marriage or romantic love. Emma is the embodiment of a romantic and she gave her all to whatever or whomever she chose; to her religion, to her family, to her lovers. But none of them could give her what she imagined.
But even more so, Flaubert warns us of the superficiality and delusions of the bourgeoisie, perfectly encapsulated by Emma.
Emma could never be happy, because she does not live in reality. She prefers to live in illusions which she believes will to brought to her through romance, religion, and material possessions. Even when she reaches her desires she can never be fulfilled.
But even more so, Flaubert warns us of the superficiality and delusions of the bourgeoisie, perfectly encapsulated by Emma.
Emma could never be happy, because she does not live in reality. She prefers to live in illusions which she believes will to brought to her through romance, religion, and material possessions. Even when she reaches her desires she can never be fulfilled.
zoewells's review against another edition
1.0
thank god the world invented divorce after reading this book
spanishviolet's review against another edition
2.0
This new translation by Lydia Davis received positive attention for being more faithful to Flaubert's original pared-down style than previous versions. I wouldn't have any way to know about that, but since I'd never read it, I decided to give it a try.
In her introduction, Davis writes of Flaubert: "He realizes early on that he has set himself a formidable task ... to write a novel about shallow, unsympathetic people in a dreary setting, some of whom make bad choices and come to a horrible end." That's pretty much it, although I'd argue the dreary setting. Any interest I took in the book came from historical curiosity about the detailed descriptions of rural French life in the 1850s, which were all new to me. Ironic since apparently he wrote in such detail with only mocking intent.
I'm sure this was very important in the development of the novel, but I spent most of the book waiting for something to happen and then counting the pages until the end.
In her introduction, Davis writes of Flaubert: "He realizes early on that he has set himself a formidable task ... to write a novel about shallow, unsympathetic people in a dreary setting, some of whom make bad choices and come to a horrible end." That's pretty much it, although I'd argue the dreary setting. Any interest I took in the book came from historical curiosity about the detailed descriptions of rural French life in the 1850s, which were all new to me. Ironic since apparently he wrote in such detail with only mocking intent.
I'm sure this was very important in the development of the novel, but I spent most of the book waiting for something to happen and then counting the pages until the end.
mirinconlector_'s review against another edition
4.0
La historia es verdad que me ha sorprendido bastante, porque tenía una idea preconcebida de esta a raíz de verla en cientos de canales que "la ponían bastante mal".
La historia parte de que el viudo señor Bovary viaja hasta una granja, donde se enamora perdidamente de Emma, una joven que acepta casarse con él. Pero el matrimonio no es en sí lo que Emma esperaba y se aburre soberanamente con Charles Bovary.
El estilo de Gustave Flaubert no es que sea el mejor del mundo, pero es bastante adictivo y no me ha costado apenas leerlo. También la trama me ha mantenido muy intrigada, porque parecía que estaba viendo (más que leyendo) una telenovela de estas mexicanas que tuvieron su éxito hace años (por ejemplo, en algún que otro punto me recordó a Rubí, aunque no mucho).
Ahora, el personaje de Madame Bovary (Emma) me ha gustado bastante. Es un personaje que refleja muy bien las expectativas que los libros nos hacen tener. (No quiero decir con esto que justifique sus acciones, porque no). Pero Emma es una chica que prácticamente está obsesionada con las novelas románticas y las historias de amor que lee en los libros, y quiere vivir esos amores épicos que lee (vamos, que todas las personas que hemos leído por ejemplo ACOMAF queremos un Rhys en nuestra vida, aunque sabemos que no existe. Pues a Emma le pasa eso prácticamente). Y claro, Emma no es feliz y simplemente está buscando eso que ella lee en los libros por todas partes (que repito, NO JUSTIFICA LAS COSAS QUE HACE).
Madame Bovary es un clásico que me ha sorprendido para bien, me ha resultado fácil de leer e incluso ameno. Os lo recomiendo (que también HE PUESTO 4 ESTRELLAS A UN CLÁSICO ROMÁNTICO. YO).
La historia parte de que el viudo señor Bovary viaja hasta una granja, donde se enamora perdidamente de Emma, una joven que acepta casarse con él. Pero el matrimonio no es en sí lo que Emma esperaba y se aburre soberanamente con Charles Bovary.
El estilo de Gustave Flaubert no es que sea el mejor del mundo, pero es bastante adictivo y no me ha costado apenas leerlo. También la trama me ha mantenido muy intrigada, porque parecía que estaba viendo (más que leyendo) una telenovela de estas mexicanas que tuvieron su éxito hace años (por ejemplo, en algún que otro punto me recordó a Rubí, aunque no mucho).
Ahora, el personaje de Madame Bovary (Emma) me ha gustado bastante. Es un personaje que refleja muy bien las expectativas que los libros nos hacen tener. (No quiero decir con esto que justifique sus acciones, porque no). Pero Emma es una chica que prácticamente está obsesionada con las novelas románticas y las historias de amor que lee en los libros, y quiere vivir esos amores épicos que lee (vamos, que todas las personas que hemos leído por ejemplo ACOMAF queremos un Rhys en nuestra vida, aunque sabemos que no existe. Pues a Emma le pasa eso prácticamente). Y claro, Emma no es feliz y simplemente está buscando eso que ella lee en los libros por todas partes (que repito, NO JUSTIFICA LAS COSAS QUE HACE).
Madame Bovary es un clásico que me ha sorprendido para bien, me ha resultado fácil de leer e incluso ameno. Os lo recomiendo (que también HE PUESTO 4 ESTRELLAS A UN CLÁSICO ROMÁNTICO. YO).
tori_storydelver's review against another edition
4.0
I find I really like a book about an unlikable character, and thought this book was very interesting. It was written before Anna Kerenina, but has similar plots and moral. (And honestly I liked this one a lot more!) It is too bad that the 2 most popular books on women who are are written by men.