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nini23's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.5
Translated from French by Alison Anderson.
58-year-old Louis Claret, a Frenchman who teaches English at a lycée, attends the gallery art show of a former student Alexandre Laudin. Laudin has become the darling of the European art world though his style as described sounds quite derivative. Claret, on the other hand, is on his way down - he is divorced, has two grown up daughters living away, lives alone with minimal social contact, sounds numbed and tired. Laudin persuades Claret to sit as his subject for his art and it becomes clear that although the schoolteacher doesn't have a deep impression of his student, Claret had a major impact on the young Laudin. It's pretty pedestrian stuff, Laudin as a student felt isolated and excluded from the clique, it's unclear how Laudin latched onto Claret as his 'ray of sunshine' in his life. In the present time, Claret starts to fall into reveries during the sittings, revisiting in a montage of memories scenes of his youth, the road not taken, the bros from his youthful days, vacations when the family was intact. Not quite at the level of Patrick Modiano but similar idea where the colour of the wall brings back memories of an impromptu trip to Scotland he took with a boyfriend. I do very much like introspective novels but at times I felt quite impatient with Claret. His parents fought when he was a child (whose doesn't?), his ex-wife Anne and his daughters still care deeply and worry about him but he comes across at times self-pitying and wallowing. It comes at a surprise when he states rather aggressively and defensively three-quarters in that he loves his life and wouldn't change anything. He is old school and austere. As for Laudin, his thoughts are more opaque but he seems to strive toward being an authentic free artist. His fascination with his former teacher clearly has roots from the past, he wants validation and admiration from him. The tension during the sittings was palpable with the balance of power reversed, the subject being analyzed and turned inside out. Apparently Claret used to challenge his students mercilessly to speak their thoughts and think critically. Sort of like Dead Poet Society with a hopeful ending.
Overall, I wanted more of those moments from the novel where a poignant feeling or a situation is described and the aging reader nods sagely thinking yes, isn't life and time like that.
58-year-old Louis Claret, a Frenchman who teaches English at a lycée, attends the gallery art show of a former student Alexandre Laudin. Laudin has become the darling of the European art world though his style as described sounds quite derivative. Claret, on the other hand, is on his way down - he is divorced, has two grown up daughters living away, lives alone with minimal social contact, sounds numbed and tired. Laudin persuades Claret to sit as his subject for his art and it becomes clear that although the schoolteacher doesn't have a deep impression of his student, Claret had a major impact on the young Laudin. It's pretty pedestrian stuff, Laudin as a student felt isolated and excluded from the clique, it's unclear how Laudin latched onto Claret as his 'ray of sunshine' in his life. In the present time, Claret starts to fall into reveries during the sittings, revisiting in a montage of memories scenes of his youth, the road not taken, the bros from his youthful days, vacations when the family was intact. Not quite at the level of Patrick Modiano but similar idea where the colour of the wall brings back memories of an impromptu trip to Scotland he took with a boyfriend. I do very much like introspective novels but at times I felt quite impatient with Claret. His parents fought when he was a child (whose doesn't?), his ex-wife Anne and his daughters still care deeply and worry about him but he comes across at times self-pitying and wallowing. It comes at a surprise when he states rather aggressively and defensively three-quarters in that he loves his life and wouldn't change anything. He is old school and austere. As for Laudin, his thoughts are more opaque but he seems to strive toward being an authentic free artist. His fascination with his former teacher clearly has roots from the past, he wants validation and admiration from him. The tension during the sittings was palpable with the balance of power reversed, the subject being analyzed and turned inside out. Apparently Claret used to challenge his students mercilessly to speak their thoughts and think critically. Sort of like Dead Poet Society with a hopeful ending.
Overall, I wanted more of those moments from the novel where a poignant feeling or a situation is described and the aging reader nods sagely thinking yes, isn't life and time like that.
terraineel's review
2.0
2/5 stars
Once again I went into this book blind but I was pleasantly surprised by this very slow and intimate emotional journey that a middle aged french man is taking because his portrait is being painted by a previous student of his. The character dynamics were probably the highlight of this book as watching Louis trying to navigate the new relationships and changes (and lack thereof) in this novel was quite endearing. There is blatant symbolism in the portraits as Louis becomes increasingly undressed in them thus showcasing his increased emotional vulnerability and acceptance of who he truly is and what his experiences were. The pacing was kinda weird since nothing really happened in this book and I thought that the flashbacks to his childhood could've been foreshadowed in his present self (eg. Being reminded of that friend he had in the Baccalaureate instead of telling us "I think about him all the time). Moreover I wish the author dove into his interior life a bit more and really fleshed out and explained every nook and cranny of his personality since that is the primary focus of the novel. I feel like this should've been more of a mrs Dalloway esque read.
Once again I went into this book blind but I was pleasantly surprised by this very slow and intimate emotional journey that a middle aged french man is taking because his portrait is being painted by a previous student of his. The character dynamics were probably the highlight of this book as watching Louis trying to navigate the new relationships and changes (and lack thereof) in this novel was quite endearing. There is blatant symbolism in the portraits as Louis becomes increasingly undressed in them thus showcasing his increased emotional vulnerability and acceptance of who he truly is and what his experiences were. The pacing was kinda weird since nothing really happened in this book and I thought that the flashbacks to his childhood could've been foreshadowed in his present self (eg. Being reminded of that friend he had in the Baccalaureate instead of telling us "I think about him all the time). Moreover I wish the author dove into his interior life a bit more and really fleshed out and explained every nook and cranny of his personality since that is the primary focus of the novel. I feel like this should've been more of a mrs Dalloway esque read.
christinanielsen's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A read a bit out of my comfort zone. The pacing was good and the length was perfect for dipping my toes into a new genre. I didn't find the story the most interesting, but I also don't think that i was supposed to be this amazing and groundbreaking story. It was all about the reflection and memories, which is nice, but became a bit long drawn for me.
benediction's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
debnanceatreaderbuzz's review against another edition
4.0
A teacher, nearing retirement, is unexpectedly invited to a party celebrating the art of a former student. Louis Claret is puzzled for the invitation; what could a celebrity like Alexandre Laudin gain by inviting a tired high school instructor who barely remembers Laudin to this showcase for his work? Claret goes, and meets up with Laudin, and somehow finds himself agreeing to pose for his former student. What is this all about?
I love the tension Jean-Philippe Blondel brings to his stories, the uncertainty, the ambiguity inherent in life. Because the author is French, and because I have read and loved his earlier novel, The 6:41 to Paris, I felt confident that the author would lead me again into a place where I could closely see the emotional resonances of the world that we sometimes avoid, and that he did. I loved the genuine feel of the story, the use of nuance, playing with complexities of life, that the author gave me.
Be warned that this story is not for those who like a big American fireworks ending. No, it's just a story of two lives and the ways they intermingle and weave together and grow apart, lives that interconnect with each other and with others, the way people flame and burn out. It's vivid and compelling, and it's beautiful writing.
I love the tension Jean-Philippe Blondel brings to his stories, the uncertainty, the ambiguity inherent in life. Because the author is French, and because I have read and loved his earlier novel, The 6:41 to Paris, I felt confident that the author would lead me again into a place where I could closely see the emotional resonances of the world that we sometimes avoid, and that he did. I loved the genuine feel of the story, the use of nuance, playing with complexities of life, that the author gave me.
Be warned that this story is not for those who like a big American fireworks ending. No, it's just a story of two lives and the ways they intermingle and weave together and grow apart, lives that interconnect with each other and with others, the way people flame and burn out. It's vivid and compelling, and it's beautiful writing.
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