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Summary: Bored Housewife Looking for Fun
Review: Gustave Flaubert has created an original and somewhat hilarious female character. A tired of her husband young woman who goes out to have affairs, aggravating her husband's life and her own, but for excitement and fun. SOmeone in Madame Bovary's society and position could not risk being caught for stealing, the typical "I am bored and want fun" psycological way of life. So she decides to have an affair with her clergy, a young flutterbug of a man who doesn't know the meaning of the word love, and apparently, Madame Bovary doesn't know it's meaning either.
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Summary: ONE OF MY FAVORITES
Review: A book about a bored housewife who produces relationships that mirror her romance books... how dull is that? DULL!!! But surprisingly Flaubert has written this subject very daintily, that I actually enjoyed this light book. SUch a heavy subject to read about came very sweet and easy on my mind. Highly reccommended for an avid classic reader, who can appreciate the effects of a classical novel
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Summary: Classics????!!!
Review: Maybe I just had unrealistic expectations when starting this book, regarding the length of time this novel has been considered a classic and the number of people confirming it to be so. I am not impressed with the novel, although the writing is first-class (even in translation). Descriptions are like poetry, but cold and distant one. I don't understand why Madame Bovary is considered the biggest romantic? She is a selfish heroine who is never in love with anybody but with herself, and in love more with the idea of love than real love. She never truly loved: when she was with her husband -- she would complain of the lack of romance; when she had romantic affairs -- she would complain of not enough romance. I think she gives a bad rep to all those who truly are romantic. Romantics are not passive, but rather active. What I also did not like about this book, even though I know that Flaubert, supposedly, did it on purpose, is the distance of the main characters. One can never truly care about any of them (except maybe Monsieur Leon), since they are always described from the narrator's point of view, who is not very passionate and talks of everybody as-a-matter-of-fact tone of voice. There were, though, few things that I did enjoy and highly respected in the novel -- the sarcasm of the narrator, the ridiculousness of the characters, their stupidity and complete blindness (Charles, Emma). From the entire book the ending, the last sixty pages or so, were the best and truly powerful and imaginative. I have never read a novel that goes in such a cruel but masterly fashion into the subjects of death, bankruptcy and life afterwards. The ideas of bankruptcy and death were described well, they were full of logic and the only time when I actually felt what I was reading.
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Summary: My 2-cents worth.
Review: I read a translation by Geoffrey Wall (Penguin Classics), and I must say that it is well written. His prose is clear and unassuming; with brilliant descriptions interspersed comfortably through the novel. I do not understand French, and have not compared Flaubert's masterpiece to Wall's. Nevertheless, I do think that Wall's translation made a pleasurable read.As for Emma Bovary's character, it seems easy to dismiss her as an airhead-what with her fantasies and novel (in both senses of the word) ideas about love. I find it hard to empathise with her, and yet, difficult to dismiss her totally, for she does mirror a slice of reality. I guess this ambivalence contributed partly to the enriching experience that this novel brought.
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Summary: Excellent for housebreaking a puppy or firestarting.
Review: I hardly know where to begin. It stinks. It's boring, dull, and makes no sense. Who the hell is the guy in the begining? So she killed herself. She deserved it, the sleazy tramp. There was no life in the text. It was just there. A great big insipid blob of nothing. The best thing about it was finishing reading it then burning it in the fireplace slowly. Worst money I'd ever spent.
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Summary: the Author makes the Story...
Review: Madame Bovary is, essentially, a somewhat long book about affairs with a tragic ending. However, Flaubert's marvellous descriptions and incisive understanding of human nature raise the book to a level far above the sleazy paperbacks that litter American beaches each summer. It's an excellent book that will leave you feeling very, very dark. Keep an eye out for the subtle touches that make Madame Bovary a masterpiece - like the flies...
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Summary: Prose style suffers in translation
Review: Flaubert worked slavishly for years to make this the masterpiece of French prose. If, however, like me, you must read it in English, you are at the mercy of the translator's prose style. Since the story is intentionally tawdry and mundane (to contrast with the supreme elegance of the language), a translation by anybody other than a master of English prose leaves the book pointless. That 's my story and I'm sticking to it. -- Steve Sailer
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Summary: Having read twice hating once and almost loving the next
Review: This novel is one of truth, a truth which is hard to confront. Societies make love to be a beautiful thing which can happen to anyone, but in reality it is a difficult trying thing. Flaubert's use of symbolism lends itself to a re-read or two. The scene at the aggie fair is one that requires a good deal of understanding, and it requires the readers utmost attention. Flaubert uses these scenes to accentuate the depth and reality of the novel. A good read but on the difficult side, excelent for discussion or anylization
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Summary: Emotionally involved
Review: Although this book is considered a book during the romantic period, it is hardly romantic. It crushes the ideas of romantics and makes them look like a bunch of lazy ass people. Flaubert is telling the world to wake up.
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Summary: Flaubert's timeless description of the insatiable madame
Review: Flaubert's accurate, albeit pathetic description of young Madame Bovary proves the timelessness of such a classic. Her character possess the power to inhabit a small part of each of our selfish desires while inabling us to quietly examine her predicament. Her passive husband joins others in helping squeeze the depth out of an insatiable woman whose shallow soul pierces our hope for life and love everlasting.
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