Germinal by Emile Zola REVIEW
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- čas přidán 16. 06. 2023
- The book that got me back on Duolingo!
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Full disclaimer - the links above lead to the Penguin Classics edition of the book. I have read Germinal in Italian, so I cannot really advise on the quality of that particular edition/translation. [Per gli interessati, la mia edizione Einaudi contiene saggi molto stimolanti, anche se un po' verbosi, di Francesco De Sanctis - certo che la copertina vagamente pixellata dall'Einaudi proprio non me l'aspettavo.]
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I just finished Germinal last night, it was also my first Zola, and I am completely in awe of the genius of the author. I completely agree with your review and I don’t understand why we don’t read him more often in USA. Thank you for your videos.
I'm so glad you enjoyed Germinal! One of Zola's best works in the Rougon-Macquart saga is L'Assommoir. Also, his first novel Thérèse Raquin is dark and amazing.
Just started reading Germinal myself as my 4th Zola and this review reassured my expectations of the devastating realism I love of his so much!
This review was very well-balanced. I am glad you’ve found Zola and I would encourage you to read more. I look forward to reviews of more of his books. He is often compared to Balzac but personally I think he’s far better.
Merci for your review! I just finished reading Balzac's The Black Sheep - another 19th-century French novel criticizing what society considers "admirable". I look forward to reading Germinal and other French novels from the time period that seem as relevant today as they did when they were written. 🌱🌻
I started Germinal last week after reading Therese Racquin and enjoying it immensely. I predict this will become one of my top books of the year.
Zola is a great writer. I regard him as someone who develops Balzac's "literary paradigm" in new ways, and actually surpasses him from a stylistic point of view. Whereas Balzac has a sort of "fury" in his writing, Zola's descriptions are so hyper-realistic to the point of becoming "psychedelic".
Good review. I am Australian and have read a number of Zola’s novels. Germinal is my favourite, but not far behind, La Bete Humaine, The Earth, The Masterpiece, L’Assommoir,…….Interesting real characters, good descriptions of the way of life of a particular industry, eg train operators, small business owners,….and good plot momentum.
Awesome. Thanks for the review.
Thanks for the review. Currently reading his, the masterpiece
You always have the best book editions!
Hell yeah. I haven't read anything from Zola yet but this sounds very interesting and promising indeed.
Thank you for the review! I feel regret that I've just un-haul the book a few days ago, that is, in Indonesian translation. Would def re-buy it in English since I can't read French. 😂 Cheers.
I just read Germinal for the first time as well. Zola's language is beautiful (I read an English translation) but the story was so bleak that I, too, had to take some breaks. It sure makes you appreciate what you have.
Fully agree with your analysis
To me the best part of this book was how the characters, and in some way their situation (often miserable), highlighted the conflicts and poltics. Towards the end however there were some blows that seemed self- or un-motivated. It wasn't as bad as A Little Life, which I find just misantropic. But it did seem a bit out of place and like it was included for shock value.
hey could anyone recommend a good english translation?
i played disco elysium and loved the atmosphere and writing, so i looked into a thread where they outlined a bunch of their inspirations, from books like this one and 'the city and the city' to shows like the wire or the shield. honestly this has got to be the most depressing and wrenching book ive read yet of the bunch. i never want to read it again but think everyone should read it. just to read what kind of horrible shit there is in life.
Zola is my favourite French author. Germinal is one of my favourite novels of his Rougon-Macquart book series. My all time favourite Zola novel is Au Bonheur des Dames (The Ladies Paradise) I highly recommend it
Thanks ❤