The Princess of Cleves

Rating:
Summary: Pointless
Review: Allegedly the music is lost in the translation, and since the novel reads like an encyclopedia entry i wouldnt bother unless you have no choice. Such and such married such and such who begat so and so... Almost absent of conflict and plot. I'm sure its 'important' literature, but leave it for those who care.

Rating:
Summary: Poor translation
Review: I was reading away happily at the original French version (struggling occasionally over some of the older vocabulary) until I realised I really didn't have enough time (essay due in tomorrow evening), so I quickly nipped round to a friend and borrowed this translation.

And it's not good, people, not good.

While parts of it have travelled quite nicely from French over to English, a lot of it is very badly done - some word for word tranlations and FAR too many repetitions of words. For example, I'm sure I came across 'agitation' three times on one page, and I can tell you I ended up more agitated than Mlle de Chartres ever would be after trying to scrape my way through it.

Needless to say, I'll be allowing more time to read these books beforehand so that I don't have to delve into another poorly translated version again.

Get it in French.

Rating:
Summary: Superb chivalric romance plus psychological depths
Review: Princess de Cleves may on the surface seem like another court romance but the delicacy in which the writer portrays the feelings of her characters is extraordinary. There actually two levels to the story, on one level, it can just be read as a romance, and on the second level, it seems to be mocking the genre. The ending was incredible in that the reasons for the main character's final choice can be seen as both moral and life-defeating. It's hard to explains how without spoiling so please just go and read the book itself! It's short and extremely readible.

Rating:
Summary: An unusual love story
Review: This book is written in an unusual format, almost at a remove from the main character. This however, only serves to heighten the passion of the doomed lovers. In some ways it reminds me of mme de tourvil in dangerous liaisons. Unable to help herself falling in love. Knowing she was doing the wrong thing, and hurting the people who love her most, but unable to stop.

I really enjoyed this book,and I'm sure I'll read it again one day. Apparently this is the only decent book this author ever wrote, the rest being pretty unreadable. If you want a historical novel written in an historical period itself then try this.

Rating:
Summary: An unusual love story
Review: This book is written in an unusual format, almost at a remove from the main character. This however, only serves to heighten the passion of the doomed lovers. In some ways it reminds me of mme de tourvil in dangerous liaisons. Unable to help herself falling in love. Knowing she was doing the wrong thing, and hurting the people who love her most, but unable to stop.

I really enjoyed this book,and I'm sure I'll read it again one day. Apparently this is the only decent book this author ever wrote, the rest being pretty unreadable. If you want a historical novel written in an historical period itself then try this.

Rating:
Summary: Lovely, moving book
Review: This is one of my all-time favorite books. The book is quiet, surprising, and lingering. The relationships detailed in intimacy are revealing, and not just the relationship between the lovers.

The relationship between the main character and her mother really spoke to me. I copied the story and sent it to my mother b/c I couldn't wait for the book to arrive. I wanted to be able to discuss it with her right away.

If you have not read this, do so immediately.

Rating:
Summary: Princess of Cleves
Review: This is one of my all-time favorite books. The book is quiet, surprising, and lingering. The relationships detailed in intimacy are revealing, and not just the relationship between the lovers. If you have not read this, do so immediately. Lovely, lovely, deeply moving book. The main character is trapped within social conventions, the expectations of her mother, and her own desires. She is expected--and indeed usually does--to do the right thing. And yet, her passion burns so deeply. A tremendous love story.