Marine
I can't believe I just fell upon my new favorite book ever.
Far from the madding crowd is the typical case of the book that first catches the romantic soul with a gripping, efficient back cover. There it says that you're going to read the story of Bathsheba Everdene, unique by her name if not anything else, still. Bathsheba is a young and independant woman courted by not less than three passionate men in Wessex, a wonderful fictional setting inspired by the british landscape. As a period drama lover, you may wish that all the elements here will straddle each other in the most perfect way along the story. If so, you're absolutely right.
For a two-centuries old novel, the characters are put in ink with an insanely modern attention, the most obvious example being Bathsheba. In an era where women are generally diminished in a world ruled by men, she appears like an astounding exception. Bathsheba first appears as a strong, careless, free girl who needs no man in her life. But she is also a real considerate soul who will always want to do what's right, even when it occurs it isn't, and even more when the unusual consequences of her decisions can lead her to a seemingly fatal trail. And all along the story, the twisted link between her mind and her heart really makes the wonderful, complex heroin she is.
Thomas Hardy adds to his palette numbers of strikingly realistic characters, from the background ones at the farm to the three male protagonists.
Funnily enough the outline of Bathsheba (i love typing that name) and the three guys reminded me of a french reality show about farmers receiving letters from love interests. I'M NOT EVEN KIDDING IT'S KIND OF THE SAME EXACT THING BUT NOWADAYS (just in a bit less dramatic plot - and still, i'm not always sure of that)
ANYWAY. Let's talk a bit about Gabriel Oak.
Gabriel is the signification of the honest, hard-working, humble, perfect man in the eyes of almost everyone. I fell for him since the beggining of the book, not a hard thing to do let's face it. I also spent the rest of the book trying to determine if I would rather marry him or protect him. I came to the conclusion that “both” is a lovely word I should consider using more. ;)
I won't talk much about Boldwood and Troy because I'm scared to spoil much, but if there is a thing you should remember about this review, it's this : the characters developments in this book are so well leaded that you'll probably get attached to them without noticing it. I felt the writing style notably fluid for an old classic and that was enjoyable, but I loved this book so much that I'm not sure to be very objective.
To conclude, Far From the Madding Crowd is a piece of art you should definetly read before you die, even if romances and period dramas aren't your cup of tea. Its utter modernity, the beauty of the descriptions and the complexity of the characters may surprise you more than you think. :)
I feel like I should have read this book a long time ago, omg.
Everything out there is so genuinely cute, and we immediately got attached to the characters. Especially Anne because of her unique personnality and that's all the writer's talent that shows up suddenly: she proves through her writing how much her character is as lovable as she is through the eyes of almost the whole universe.
Anne's vision of things really means a lot to me because, like me, she relies mostly on her imagination and tend to follow her feelings more than rationality. She observes a lot and naturally enjoy the little things that makes her days. I try to follow this very same path since forever I guess, and despite my own shadows, the sun radiating in Anne's thoughts work like a beam of hope and optimism to me. I need to believe in to start living the life I've always dreamed of. And for that I highkey love, thank and admire her.
The description are particularly sweet and immersive, that's a real pleasure to read. And the writing style is overall-y the most cutest thing i've ever read in my life. If I should describe this book with a single word, it would be cute. This book deserves a review with at least four ou five “cute” in it. So this is it : Cute cute cute.
As I got attached to this bunch of very human characters, I also felt many things during the saddest part of the book. I cried, obviously, the true question is When will I succeed not to cry while reading a whole book (and the answer is Never, probably ¯_(ツ)_/¯)
Avonlea reminds me of my childhood village. I still live there, but the teenage years of Anne, Diane and Gilbert resonates a lot with mine on a landscape level: and, above all, that's nostalgia who comes up when the sound of the river flowing, the wind cracking branches of trees or seasons colouring everything are mentionned. I felt Anne's joy, I understood it. And I loved finding it again through her vibrant, imaginative eyes.
Anne of Green Gables was mostly one the most soothing journey I've ever made thanks to a few chapters. I'm so looking forward to see the evolution of Anne, as it was already a precious experience to witness her inspiring way of life from the first pages to the last chapters.
I think that the only interesting fact about this book is the London setting tbh. Nothing more.
I like new romances when they are well-written, and they exist. Archer's Voice is one of the best examples i have in mind right now. And I really wanted to give this book a chance.
But the sterotypes inside this book were so many i couldn't even focus on the few rest of the story. Anytime something new happened, a cursed wave of insane clichés suddenly appeared too : that was too much. And the characters were unrealistic.
I don't even talk about the latent homophobia and transphobia, tbh. Don't count on me to read the sequel.
ONE TRUE FRENCH YA MASTERPIECE.
Also my favorite of the series! This is such a unique universe with incredible characters and definetly one of the cutest pairings i've ever read about.
Not gonna lie, this book is the perfect example of what i'm seeking in my reading experience. A wonderful, magical, unique moment with some of my favorite characters. A story that makes me crave the sequel when i've finished it. Words that leaves you speechless.
Please make of this saga a ten-books series at least, christelle. And thank you for everything, your world makes us all dream like never.
💓💕💞💗💌💕💓💖💗
i can't even say the disappointment is here because i kinda expected it, but damn.
how can it be the sequel to Harry Potter when the characters don't have any depth, are coming out of nowhere or, even better, are caricatured?
i didn't recognized any of what makes my heart fall for this universe. the only good part of the story, in my opinion, was scorpius and albus. but even here the plot didn't seem to fit at the end while the potential was so STRONG. why rose when their relationship seems so purely, entirely romantic already?
the situations were most of the time absurd and full of contradictions and nonsense.
it's so grotesque that i'd almost laugh if i wasn't more sad to witness my favorite world botched in such a way. it will undoubtedly remain one of the worst fanfictions i've ever read in my life, which is annoying when we know it's not even what it's called.
Well, I suppose I've just found one of my favorite books ever tonight. I really do. I won't write much because i need to think about it a loooooong time and to construe in my head all the story, still. I've read like 200 pages plenty of informations today and i feel so blessed for this right now.
What a delicious life-ruiner book. What a perfect book boyfriend, that Elias, i've actually got the hugest crush on him. And Laia. Omg Laia. Such a promising sweetheart. She thinks she is weak, she's not. I'm pretty sure her character development will be phenomenal. The relationship between both was also my favorite, they're cute as heck together and mostly : THEY DESERVE EACH OTHER. Don't hurt them anymore. Never. I do not want.
I'm so freaking impatient to know where the story will finally lead us, as we're leaved in such a pivot point. In a word,
GIMME THE SEQUEL ALREADY !!!!!!!!
“La perfection et la convoitise... voilà qui fait de moi le monstre idéal.”
Une chose est sûre : A.B.I.E n'est pas une lecture ordinaire. Cette dystopie sous forme de labyrinthe tumultueux et sans fin véritable nous embarque non sans douleur dans un univers entouré de murs aseptisés et de piqûres en tout genre (bélonéophobes s'abstenir). Et Sam Connor n'est pas là pour nous calmer...
J'ai eu la très mauvaise idée de commencer ce livre en étant malade. Le quota angsty qui fait presque office de fil rouge émotionnel tout au long du récit ne fait absolument pas dans la dentelle, et vous vous imaginez bien que l'auteur s'amuse à décrire ses scènes de telle manière à nous faire ressentir des choses pas très très sympatoches.
Le début était donc mitigé. Je crois qu'il faut du temps pour s'adapter plus ou moins au style de Tasha Lann, d'ailleurs : à certains moments de ma lecture j'ai du m'y reprendre à plusieurs fois avant de comprendre où elle voulait en venir, et je crois que c'est du au fait que les éléments s'enchaînent à une vitesse incroyable.
J'ai aimé l'histoire d'amour. C'est la première chose que je considère une fois ma lecture terminée : si l'histoire d'amour est invraisemblable ou mal conçue je vais avoir du mal à me focaliser sur les sujets qui gravitent autour. Et là, oui, l'histoire était mignonne. La seule chose que je reprocherais peut-être c'est qu'elle s'est presque formée un peu trop vite pour que ce soit crédible, d'une certaine manière.
Et puis Vincent, bon... je ne vois pas réellement en quoi ce personnage était indispensable à l'intrigue, d'autant que l'ambiguïté qu'il partageait avec Sam était... bizarre ? Inadaptée ? J'en sais rien, mais ça ne m'a pas plu. D'autant plus qu'une scène -ceux qui ont lu le livre sauront sûrement de quoi je parle- m'a littéralement abasourdi. C'est peut-être la chose qui m'a le plus dérangée de toute l'histoire à vrai dire...
Alors dit comme ça, c'est sûr qu'on dirait pas que j'ai apprécié ma lecture, mais c'est le cas.
Déjà les personnages sont bien élaborés, c'est important. Sam est parfois insupportable mais elle sait se qu'elle veut et s'amuse à se jouer de l'autorité avec une provocation dont j'avoue m'être délectée, et plus que tout : j'ai adoré cette loyauté, le fait que cette fille considéré comme un joyau national (un joyau taillé dans tous les sens, certes) accepte de se sacrifier pour ceux qu'elle estime plus importants, son sens indéfectible de l'humour.
J'espère qu'il y aura une suite et que cette fin ne restera pas ouverte parce que je considère cette lecture comme la mise en place des fondations. Trop de questions sont encore sans réponses et la mise en état du projet A.B.I.E n'a même pas encore commencé (non pas que j'en sois triste haha mais...)
En somme, A.B.I.E est une dystopie effrénée et sensationnelle qui arrive à nous faire remuer de nos chaises comme le genre l'exige habituellement.
Pour finir, très important, je tiens à remercier Severine de m'avoir offert cet ebook et d'avoir encore une fois usé de son inépuisable gentillesse. <3