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egomaxima's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Been feeling like this lately. Beautifully written and far ahead of its time.
stephenhunsaker's review
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
ketchuprene's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
s2t's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
fromsalom's review
challenging
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
paulataua's review against another edition
3.0
My attraction to themes involving dissonance brought me here, The heroine, happily married, but needing to work in a brothel in the afternoons to make her life complete seemed interesting enough as an idea. As it turned out the idea held more for me than the execution and the resolution was unsatisfying. It was odd to find out that even those close to the author himself preferred the ending in Bunuel’s movie adaption. It’s a movie I have never seen, but I may get to watch some day. Enjoyed the novel, but only just enjoyed.
__booksandanimes__'s review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
loving's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
Interesting story and premise. I feel like it could’ve been explored a lot better though. The infantilisation of the main character and lack of consequences she faced was annoying also. As was the ending, which was not tied up neatly at all. Wtf happened to everyone?
spyralnode's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Being one of the most shocking books of the 20th century, I was expecting a much more scandalous story. Perhaps graphically sexual images, something a lot more outrageous, but instead what I found was a thoughtful, psychologically provoking analysis of relationship dynamics and the compromises that exist between two people and within one person themselves.
We are following Severine, a young woman, happily married as of two years ago, whose husband is a respected doctor within their Parisian community. As we observe their interactions and the Severine's feelings that the narrator chooses to share with us, we realise that between her and her husband there exists more of a protective, parental love, than one based on passion. They seek to take care of each other, like children, soothing from pain and sheltering from the damages of the outside world. Severine fantasises of being submissive to someone, perhaps someone from an inferior class, perhaps someone largely built. Neither of them communicates much about their expectations from the relationship, and Severine finds herself trouble by both curiosity, embarrassment and the fear of hurting Pierre. It's this openness and desire of exploration that brings her to the house of Madame Anais, where she becomes known as 'Belle de Jour'.
The narrator choice is interesting, it being in third person but still talking intimately about the disarray that Severine is in. It left me thinking what remains unmentioned, if we are truly understanding everything about her or if there is a filter due to her prejudices. The book is more of this psychological exploration, the guesswork of making out what headspace she is in and her thought process. It is, as I mentioned, also an exploration of Pierre and Severine and what their love consists of. On the one hand, we have the passionate violence that Severine is longing for, yet she is happy, yet she expresses Pierre is the most important to her. These voices of the flesh and the heart are fascinating to see struggle against each other, and eventually coming to terms that they must both be satisfied for the overall happiness of the person.
Long-term relationships are sometimes about compromise, and this story zooms in on what they might mean for the individual, how much of themselves they need to abandon in the process. I could see some people interpreting Severine's drives as kinks, and I think on the surface it is that, but the message of the story is deeper than that, and it invites a lot more analysis.
Without spoiling the ending, I thought it was very fitting, in that the inner life came to reflect the exterior one, and the very last scene is left open to the extent that you have to put the pieces together as you find fitting yourself.
I really enjoyed this read a lot more than I thought I would. I was expecting entertaining, but it was well written, compelling, and I found myself wanting to know what would happen next. I liked that the book didn't shy away from perspectives that might be judged harshly, questionable characters, and grey natures in a bunch of different scenarios. I can see why this is held in high esteem by a niche of readers.
We are following Severine, a young woman, happily married as of two years ago, whose husband is a respected doctor within their Parisian community. As we observe their interactions and the Severine's feelings that the narrator chooses to share with us, we realise that between her and her husband there exists more of a protective, parental love, than one based on passion. They seek to take care of each other, like children, soothing from pain and sheltering from the damages of the outside world. Severine fantasises of being submissive to someone, perhaps someone from an inferior class, perhaps someone largely built. Neither of them communicates much about their expectations from the relationship, and Severine finds herself trouble by both curiosity, embarrassment and the fear of hurting Pierre. It's this openness and desire of exploration that brings her to the house of Madame Anais, where she becomes known as 'Belle de Jour'.
The narrator choice is interesting, it being in third person but still talking intimately about the disarray that Severine is in. It left me thinking what remains unmentioned, if we are truly understanding everything about her or if there is a filter due to her prejudices. The book is more of this psychological exploration, the guesswork of making out what headspace she is in and her thought process. It is, as I mentioned, also an exploration of Pierre and Severine and what their love consists of. On the one hand, we have the passionate violence that Severine is longing for, yet she is happy, yet she expresses Pierre is the most important to her. These voices of the flesh and the heart are fascinating to see struggle against each other, and eventually coming to terms that they must both be satisfied for the overall happiness of the person.
Long-term relationships are sometimes about compromise, and this story zooms in on what they might mean for the individual, how much of themselves they need to abandon in the process. I could see some people interpreting Severine's drives as kinks, and I think on the surface it is that, but the message of the story is deeper than that, and it invites a lot more analysis.
Without spoiling the ending, I thought it was very fitting, in that the inner life came to reflect the exterior one, and the very last scene is left open to the extent that you have to put the pieces together as you find fitting yourself.
I really enjoyed this read a lot more than I thought I would. I was expecting entertaining, but it was well written, compelling, and I found myself wanting to know what would happen next. I liked that the book didn't shy away from perspectives that might be judged harshly, questionable characters, and grey natures in a bunch of different scenarios. I can see why this is held in high esteem by a niche of readers.
mollyfiddler's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5 stars
Το βιβλίο αυτό θεωρήθηκε πορνογραφικό (το 1928), παρόλα αυτά δεν υπάρχει μισή σκηνή σεξ μέσα. Όλα υπονοούνται και σε κάποια σημεία δεν ήμουν σίγουρη και τι ήταν αυτά. Ο χαρακτήρας της Σεβερίν είναι τραγικός, αφού προσπαθώντας να κάνει κάτι για να νιώσει εκείνη καλά, σιγά σιγά πληγώνει και καταστρέφει τους γύρω της. Τελικά, αυτό το βιβλίο με έχει μπερδέψει. Δεν ξέρω αν έχω καταλάβει πλήρως το τί θέλει να πει ο συγγραφέας ή είμαι εντελώς στόκος και το νόημα έχει πετάξει ψηλά και μακριά από το κεφάλι μου. Θα ήθελα να του βάλω 4 αστεράκια, γιατί ήταν εύκολο στο διάβασμα (υποθέτω έχει να κάνει και με την μετάφραση) και δεν με κούρασε, αλλά ταυτόχρονα υπάρχει κάτι απροσδιόριστο που με χάλασε. Αν πέσει στα χέρια σας διαβάστε το.
Το βιβλίο αυτό θεωρήθηκε πορνογραφικό (το 1928), παρόλα αυτά δεν υπάρχει μισή σκηνή σεξ μέσα. Όλα υπονοούνται και σε κάποια σημεία δεν ήμουν σίγουρη και τι ήταν αυτά. Ο χαρακτήρας της Σεβερίν είναι τραγικός, αφού προσπαθώντας να κάνει κάτι για να νιώσει εκείνη καλά, σιγά σιγά πληγώνει και καταστρέφει τους γύρω της. Τελικά, αυτό το βιβλίο με έχει μπερδέψει. Δεν ξέρω αν έχω καταλάβει πλήρως το τί θέλει να πει ο συγγραφέας ή είμαι εντελώς στόκος και το νόημα έχει πετάξει ψηλά και μακριά από το κεφάλι μου. Θα ήθελα να του βάλω 4 αστεράκια, γιατί ήταν εύκολο στο διάβασμα (υποθέτω έχει να κάνει και με την μετάφραση) και δεν με κούρασε, αλλά ταυτόχρονα υπάρχει κάτι απροσδιόριστο που με χάλασε. Αν πέσει στα χέρια σας διαβάστε το.