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emberology
All the parts about the historical events and some stories about minor characters seemed a bit far fetched so I have to take one star away. Other than that I wasn't at all disappointed. I quite enjoyed the depth of the characters and the overall plot which made my back ache from all that sitting.
Right now I feel like four stars is the more accurate rating, but I can easily imagine myself reading this again years later and giving it a full five.
I presume Flaubert wanted the reader to dislike almost all the main characters, or at least to consider their motivations for their dislikeable behaviour. I mean, that's just what I have gathered from some reviews I've stumbled upon sporadically over the years. I hate to admit it, but I found Charles infuriating at times. Depicted as a mediocre country doctor, he isn't particularly talented and is completely oblivious of her wife's character. It wasn't the personality of Charles, or the fact that he was absolutely incapable of being firm, but I think it was the whole lifestyle he represented.
I would wither away if for the rest of my life, I was chained into a person who would be completely satisfied of leading a quiet life and doing the same things every day, year after year. There isn't anything bad in a life like that per se, but I can completely understand why Emma wanted to get away from it. Imagine the moment when you realize that for the rest of your life you are trapped, and the only way to escape it once and for all is to either run away or die.
In this sense I completely adored Flaubert's way of handling the problems of women of his time. It is completely believable that Emma is the voice of countless of unhappy 19th century women, who felt utterly desparate. Then again, the character of Emma herself was by no means likeable. She behaved erratically and was selfish to a point of egomaniac. She found opportunities to take her sexuality into her own hands, but she was never satisfied to anything. She searched constantly for new experiences, but we all know that can never happen. There are bound to be quiet days and the eventual settling of emotions. You cannot live on the top of the mountain forever.
I won't go to the matter of other characters, because as unlikeable they were, I have really nothing to say about them. The writing, however, was gorgeous. There were moments when I just had to stop and take it all in. It felt surprisingly modern for an 1857 novel.
I presume Flaubert wanted the reader to dislike almost all the main characters, or at least to consider their motivations for their dislikeable behaviour. I mean, that's just what I have gathered from some reviews I've stumbled upon sporadically over the years. I hate to admit it, but I found Charles infuriating at times. Depicted as a mediocre country doctor, he isn't particularly talented and is completely oblivious of her wife's character. It wasn't the personality of Charles, or the fact that he was absolutely incapable of being firm, but I think it was the whole lifestyle he represented.
I would wither away if for the rest of my life, I was chained into a person who would be completely satisfied of leading a quiet life and doing the same things every day, year after year. There isn't anything bad in a life like that per se, but I can completely understand why Emma wanted to get away from it. Imagine the moment when you realize that for the rest of your life you are trapped, and the only way to escape it once and for all is to either run away or die.
In this sense I completely adored Flaubert's way of handling the problems of women of his time. It is completely believable that Emma is the voice of countless of unhappy 19th century women, who felt utterly desparate. Then again, the character of Emma herself was by no means likeable. She behaved erratically and was selfish to a point of egomaniac. She found opportunities to take her sexuality into her own hands, but she was never satisfied to anything. She searched constantly for new experiences, but we all know that can never happen. There are bound to be quiet days and the eventual settling of emotions. You cannot live on the top of the mountain forever.
I won't go to the matter of other characters, because as unlikeable they were, I have really nothing to say about them. The writing, however, was gorgeous. There were moments when I just had to stop and take it all in. It felt surprisingly modern for an 1857 novel.
gaslighting
noun [U]
the action of tricking or controlling someone by making them believe things that are not true, especially by suggesting that they may be mentally ill
Narcissists don't care about you. They only care about themselves and what they can get from you. When confronted, they twist it back to you and try to blame you, make you feel guilty, or point out your shortcomings. Or, even worse, they will try to make you doubt your insanity.
Gas Light, a psychological thriller that is perhaps best known as the 1944 movie with Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer, is another Hamilton play whose adaptation is better. Although I prefer Rope (more interesting psychologically and more suspenseful), they're both pretty underwhelming on paper. I'm not sure if actually seeing the plays on stage would help, but in any case I recommend watching the movies instead (there's also a British 1940 version of Gas Light).
noun [U]
the action of tricking or controlling someone by making them believe things that are not true, especially by suggesting that they may be mentally ill
Narcissists don't care about you. They only care about themselves and what they can get from you. When confronted, they twist it back to you and try to blame you, make you feel guilty, or point out your shortcomings. Or, even worse, they will try to make you doubt your insanity.
Gas Light, a psychological thriller that is perhaps best known as the 1944 movie with Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer, is another Hamilton play whose adaptation is better. Although I prefer Rope (more interesting psychologically and more suspenseful), they're both pretty underwhelming on paper. I'm not sure if actually seeing the plays on stage would help, but in any case I recommend watching the movies instead (there's also a British 1940 version of Gas Light).
"...something in the air made it easier to believe lies."
Los Angeles, 1948. When screenwriter Charlie Parish wakes up in a bathtub and finds a dead starlet in the next room after a night of partying, it opens a whole can of worms that he tries to navigate through, while also trying to come to terms with his past and taking care that his blacklisted friend Gil doesn't screw up too much.
A classic noir story that I fell in love with a couple of years ago, and this summer I picked up a copy of the complete collection to hold forever close to me. The atmospheric art makes the world look like it's in perpetual darkness even in bright party scenes and sunny locations, and the writing mirrors all the best nihilistic noir novels. It throws you into the vortex of Hollywood back alleys, seedy movie industry, endless cocktails and bottles of whiskey, palm tree silhouettes in the burning evening sky, and a cast of sleazy movie stars, crooks, studio employees etc.
The perfect choice for a quiet summer night: rustle of trees, a setting sun, ice cubes clinking in your glass, and the scent of lime and mint coming from your mojito.
Los Angeles, 1948. When screenwriter Charlie Parish wakes up in a bathtub and finds a dead starlet in the next room after a night of partying, it opens a whole can of worms that he tries to navigate through, while also trying to come to terms with his past and taking care that his blacklisted friend Gil doesn't screw up too much.
A classic noir story that I fell in love with a couple of years ago, and this summer I picked up a copy of the complete collection to hold forever close to me. The atmospheric art makes the world look like it's in perpetual darkness even in bright party scenes and sunny locations, and the writing mirrors all the best nihilistic noir novels. It throws you into the vortex of Hollywood back alleys, seedy movie industry, endless cocktails and bottles of whiskey, palm tree silhouettes in the burning evening sky, and a cast of sleazy movie stars, crooks, studio employees etc.
The perfect choice for a quiet summer night: rustle of trees, a setting sun, ice cubes clinking in your glass, and the scent of lime and mint coming from your mojito.
