Pierre Et Jean (Oxford World's Classics (Oxford University Press).)

Rating:
Summary: "The vile secret."
Review: Sibling rivalry is at the heart of the novella "Pierre Et Jean" by Guy de Maupassant. Brothers Pierre and Jean are totally different in every way. Pierre Roland, a doctor, is dark, brooding and serious. The younger brother, Jean, a lawyer, is fair-haired, easy going and placid. Mild resentments exist between the two brothers--this is mainly directed from Pierre towards Jean. Pierre has taken some time to decide on a career--whereas Jean had no difficulties whatsoever making up his mind. Consequently, even though there is an age gap of five years between the two brothers, they both arrive at the beginning point of their professional careers at the same time.

One evening, the Roland family receives the news that Jean has inherited a fortune--thanks to a Monsieur Marechal, an old friend of the family. In the celebration that follows, Pierre begins to experience the stirrings of jealousy. These feelings are fueled by the attention lavished on Jean by his parents. But in the days that follow the news of the inheritance, Pierre begins to have suspicions about Monsieur Marechal's true relationship with Madame Roland, and Pierre even begins to wonder if Jean is Marechal's son.

Fans of Maupassant will really enjoy this well written novella. The groundwork of the family is laid out succinctly within the first few pages as Maupassant skillfully describes the smouldering resentment Pierre feels for Jean. This resentment festers like a cancer within the family home until those involved can no longer ignore the tension. Pierre is, in many ways, a much more interesting character than Jean. Pierre is "impetuous, intelligent, volatile and stubborn." Jean is by far the nicer person, but he's much less complex. In creating the two main characters, Maupassant shows true genius. One has sympathy with Pierre's feelings--even though he succumbs to less-than-noble jealously, and nastiness. Pierre's torment is all too real, and who can fail to identify with a sibling who is always sick "at hearing endless praises sung" for another. I found the story riveting, and I felt very involved with the characters and the ultimate outcome. "Pierre Et Jean" is a tremendously enjoyable read--displacedhuman

Rating:
Summary: doubtful paternity
Review: This is a short novel, easy to follow, and enjoyable to read.

Here's what it's about basically. There's these two brothers, right?--as the title indicates. One of them gets a really nice inheritance from a family friend. The other brother gets NOTHING. He's jealous of his brother for his good fortune, and gets suspicious about WHY his brother got the inheritance. He finds out that it's because their mother had an affair with the family friend and his brother was born illegitimately from the affair. He confronts his mother about it and she admits it. That's why his brother got the inheritance, because he was the family friend's true son, it was a shameful secret that the mother kept from her husband (their father). That's all there is to it. It's not a complex book and the story's pretty simple, but the underlying psychology is really interesting and the book is very well-written--very tight and engaging. Maupassant's best novel, I would say.

David Rehak
author of "Love and Madness.

Rating:
Summary: A STUDY OF FAMILY RELATIONS
Review: WHAT CAN BE EXPECTED TO HAPPEN IN A FAMILY WHEN ONE OF ITS MEMBERS INHERITS A LARGE SUM OF MONEY? EVERYBODY IS HAPPIER AND BETTER OFF, RIGHT? WRONG! AS WE SEE FROM THIS STORY, THE WHOLE FABRIC OF THE FAMILY CAN BECOME TORN. YET, BY EMPLOYING SOME SUBTLE TACTICS, MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY CAN FIND A WAY TO STAY TOGETHER. AT A BIG PRICE THOUGH, BECAUSE ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY HAS TO HOLD HIMSELF ALOOF IN ORDER TO PRESERVE FAMILY BOUNDS. A VERY DELICATE STUDY OF THE SUBJECT!