What do you think?
Rate this book
Силва
285pages. poche. Broché.
283 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1961
3 people are currently reading
260 people want to read
About the author
Vercors
98 books69 followersVercors was the pen name of Jean Marcel Bruller, taken from a French province where Bruller fought during the early stages of the Second World War. During the Nazi occupation of France in the 1940s, Vercors/Bruller co-founded the clandestine publishing operation Les Éditions de Minuit (The Midnight Press) and was a key literary figure in the Resistance.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 20, 2019
This story, published in 1962, opens with an exhausted fox, the target of a dog hunt inexplicably being transformed into a "foxy" young woman near the estate of an English gentleman farmer, the only witness to the miracle, who takes her in. Sylva retains the instincts, perspective, non-language skills, and agility of a fox. Although she apparently now has the brain of a human, it is undeveloped and, given her young adulthood at the time of the change, there are doubts as to its potential for development.
This initial premise provides a fascinating vehicle for exploring what make "humans" unique as Sylva gradually becomes more of a person and less of an animal in the next year. The story touches on the potential salaciousness of the situation, but in a restrained way. The author is more interested in a philosophical exploration of the gifts and burdens of the human condition: "Why, for what end, has our brain been created so accomplished that it is able to grasp everything, and yet so weak that it knows nothing--neither what it is itself, nor this body which it controls, nor this universe from which they both emanate?" Some of the changes Sylva undergoes are presented in a moving, almost heartbreaking fashion.
The writing expresses complex ideas in a clear and lovely style, all the more impressive for the original work having been translated from French into English by the author's wife. Another thing I very much liked is that the gentleman farmer narrator shares with his audience his doubts about both the morality of his actions and the validity of his philosophical conclusions.
Thoughtful reflections woven into an interesting plot!
This initial premise provides a fascinating vehicle for exploring what make "humans" unique as Sylva gradually becomes more of a person and less of an animal in the next year. The story touches on the potential salaciousness of the situation, but in a restrained way. The author is more interested in a philosophical exploration of the gifts and burdens of the human condition: "Why, for what end, has our brain been created so accomplished that it is able to grasp everything, and yet so weak that it knows nothing--neither what it is itself, nor this body which it controls, nor this universe from which they both emanate?" Some of the changes Sylva undergoes are presented in a moving, almost heartbreaking fashion.
The writing expresses complex ideas in a clear and lovely style, all the more impressive for the original work having been translated from French into English by the author's wife. Another thing I very much liked is that the gentleman farmer narrator shares with his audience his doubts about both the morality of his actions and the validity of his philosophical conclusions.
Thoughtful reflections woven into an interesting plot!
August 2, 2013
Силва е лисица, която се превръща в човек пред очите на разказвача... и следва много хубаво разказана история. Искрена. На ръба на философското есе понякога, но без прекаляване и претенциозност. Има едно такова определение за френския стил на писане: „лек, но не лековат; на пръв поглед лесен, но богат и дълбок“. Веркор е написал новелата именно по този начин и ако хубавите книги се познават по тъгата, която читателят изпитва в края на последното изречение, „Силва“ е от тях.
П.П. Струва ми се, че преводът куца на места, но от първа ръка това биха могли да преценят само френскоговорящите. Все пак много бих се зарадвала на ново преводаческо дело.
П.П. Струва ми се, че преводът куца на места, но от първа ръка това биха могли да преценят само френскоговорящите. Все пак много бих се зарадвала на ново преводаческо дело.
January 14, 2017
When the heart has a mind, it has to labor, suffer, defend itself. Against whom? The mind.
April 15, 2022
Наистина не знам какво да кажа и как да се изразя за тази книга. Намерих я случайно в търсене на подарък и се влюбих. Вярвам, че книгата ме намери сама всъщност, защото няма как да е случайно.
Историята разказва за Бони и неговата лисичка Силва, която той опитомява и успява да развие разум у нея. В книгата са засегнати множество философски въпроси и разсъждения, които искрено не очаквах. Прочетох я за 2 дни, а изпитах толкова много емоции от прочетеното. За първи път чета нещо от Веркор и Библиотека "Панорама", но със сигурност няма да е за последен.
Историята разказва за Бони и неговата лисичка Силва, която той опитомява и успява да развие разум у нея. В книгата са засегнати множество философски въпроси и разсъждения, които искрено не очаквах. Прочетох я за 2 дни, а изпитах толкова много емоции от прочетеното. За първи път чета нещо от Веркор и Библиотека "Панорама", но със сигурност няма да е за последен.
August 5, 2023
22-oji XX a. Aukso fondo knyga. Visų pirma akis užkliuvo už autoriaus pavardės. - Vercors. Sužinojau, kad tai prancūzų rašytojo ir dailininko Jean Brullero slapyvardis. Suintrigavo, todėl perskaičiau. Stengiuosi perskaityti nemažai „Dvidešimto amžiaus aukso fondo“ serijos knygų, dėl kurių įtraukimo į geriausių knygų sąrašą galėčiau pasiginčyti. Tačiau šiuo atveju knyga tiesiog verta savo vietos tame auksiniame sąraše. Knyga alegorija, sprendžianti, ar gyvūnas gali tapti žmogumi? Tuo pat metu sprendžiamas kita klausimas - kur ta riba, kai žmogaus virtimas gyvūnu tampa nebevaldomas. Kiek galinga yra meilė ir rūpestis šiuose vienas kitam priešinguose procesuose? Knyga, po kurios gal savaitę mąstai apie jos turinį, mintis. Aš tai vadinu "knygų pagiriomis".
June 20, 2018
Storyline: 1/5
Characters: 3/5
Writing Style: 3/5
Resonance: 2/5
Sylva begins with the "I know you think it is only a legend, but it really happened to me" gambit. Thereafter it tried hard to be Serious Literature. In fact, this translated-from-French tale reads as if it were at least fifty years older, references and is inspired by Kafka's Metamorphosis. It couldn't be a plebeian sort of novel because it wasn't fun. Vercors doesn't put much effort into developing dilemmas or excitement, and there is no goal or antagonism to overcome, little which the reader could cheer for or by which to evaluate progress. The world has only a few characters and scenes, thus the background fails to add either richness or variety. Our narrator tells the story of his life, effectively conveying a Victorian gentlemen who wallows in self-doubt, writhes in indecision, and considers life's every obstacle as psychological dramas to be critically and repeatedly analyzed in detail. He was a realized character, one that I came to loathe, though this growing animus was not intended, I think. There were a few chapters later in the book where the author does get to the Human Condition, and Vercors makes some thoughtful and even artistic moves to give the tale the obligatory allegorical significance. It could have been the sort of book that gets taught in literature courses, young readers prodded to think about the meaning underneath the text save that Vercors's narrator explains the allegory and proceeds to agonize over its implications. The book eventually gives up its pretensions, opting for the more easily achieved shock rather than a profundity which could have turned this into something with more resonance.
Characters: 3/5
Writing Style: 3/5
Resonance: 2/5
Sylva begins with the "I know you think it is only a legend, but it really happened to me" gambit. Thereafter it tried hard to be Serious Literature. In fact, this translated-from-French tale reads as if it were at least fifty years older, references and is inspired by Kafka's Metamorphosis. It couldn't be a plebeian sort of novel because it wasn't fun. Vercors doesn't put much effort into developing dilemmas or excitement, and there is no goal or antagonism to overcome, little which the reader could cheer for or by which to evaluate progress. The world has only a few characters and scenes, thus the background fails to add either richness or variety. Our narrator tells the story of his life, effectively conveying a Victorian gentlemen who wallows in self-doubt, writhes in indecision, and considers life's every obstacle as psychological dramas to be critically and repeatedly analyzed in detail. He was a realized character, one that I came to loathe, though this growing animus was not intended, I think. There were a few chapters later in the book where the author does get to the Human Condition, and Vercors makes some thoughtful and even artistic moves to give the tale the obligatory allegorical significance. It could have been the sort of book that gets taught in literature courses, young readers prodded to think about the meaning underneath the text save that Vercors's narrator explains the allegory and proceeds to agonize over its implications. The book eventually gives up its pretensions, opting for the more easily achieved shock rather than a profundity which could have turned this into something with more resonance.
January 28, 2013
Книга принесла смешанное удовольствие. Начнем с того, что я ее прочитала, ну буквально за три часа. Села почитать после обеда в воскресенье, думая, что сейчас я как уберусь, да как понаделываю дел, но пока прочитаю пару страничек...и на тебе - прошло три часа, я сижу над планшетом, на экране которого светится "100%" и пытаюсь собрать мозги в кучку и думаю, о чем же сказать-написать в отзыве.
Молодой человек увидел, как лиса превратилась в девушку. Только тело-то у нее девушки, а мозг, инстинкты и, так сказать, мораль - звериные, лисьи. И вот на основе этого превращения и строится сюжет. Параллельно идет сюжетная линия старой любви ГГ, автор и сам постоянно проводит между этими женщинами параллели как бы намекая нам, что вот оно, столкновение и конфликт моей книги.
Очень интересно и захватывающе, но... Но как-то слабо. Француз пытается замаскироваться под англичанина и это выходит до того комично и смешно - чего стоят эти постоянные "упреки и издевки" "британца" в сторону французов - "если бы я был, например, французом, - само собой, я бы воспользовался случаем переспать с девушкой", приведу я в пример неточную цитату. Ну серьезно, как дети)
Да и в общем плане как-то не дотягивало абсолютно все - диалоги-то то чопорные, то растянутые и ни о чем. То высокопарные размышления про человеческую природу, то мысли, насколько морально будет главному герою трахнуть лисицу. И все так просто, сразу и на духу верят в историю с превращением, никаких вопросов не возникает, никто не орет и не паникует, ах, Боже, это же Англия, прошу простить, никто не падает в обморок и не зовет констебля. Абсолютно никаких вопросов, только мысли что же делать дальше с этой лесной зверушкой.
Но все равно впечатления самые позитивные. И хоть книгу в любимые и не попала, но свое место в моей голове займет.
Молодой человек увидел, как лиса превратилась в девушку. Только тело-то у нее девушки, а мозг, инстинкты и, так сказать, мораль - звериные, лисьи. И вот на основе этого превращения и строится сюжет. Параллельно идет сюжетная линия старой любви ГГ, автор и сам постоянно проводит между этими женщинами параллели как бы намекая нам, что вот оно, столкновение и конфликт моей книги.
Очень интересно и захватывающе, но... Но как-то слабо. Француз пытается замаскироваться под англичанина и это выходит до того комично и смешно - чего стоят эти постоянные "упреки и издевки" "британца" в сторону французов - "если бы я был, например, французом, - само собой, я бы воспользовался случаем переспать с девушкой", приведу я в пример неточную цитату. Ну серьезно, как дети)
Да и в общем плане как-то не дотягивало абсолютно все - диалоги-то то чопорные, то растянутые и ни о чем. То высокопарные размышления про человеческую природу, то мысли, насколько морально будет главному герою трахнуть лисицу. И все так просто, сразу и на духу верят в историю с превращением, никаких вопросов не возникает, никто не орет и не паникует, ах, Боже, это же Англия, прошу простить, никто не падает в обморок и не зовет констебля. Абсолютно никаких вопросов, только мысли что же делать дальше с этой лесной зверушкой.
Но все равно впечатления самые позитивные. И хоть книгу в любимые и не попала, но свое место в моей голове займет.
February 11, 2013
Really good story about a man choosing between two women who were changing in opposite ways. One from an free spirited,undomesticated animal into a woman, and the other changing from a civilized woman to someone with no control anymore over herself, or her well being.
January 24, 2019
Every once in a while I read a book that I come into with no expectations and it catches me by surprise. I really enjoyed this one.
November 4, 2019
Изключителна книга! Никога не бях чела подобна история. Обожавам Силва! Радвам се на това изключително наследство, което получих.
August 31, 2017
This is a very twisted novel. It might be a fairy tale. It might be sexual fetish fanfic. It might be experimental surrealism. Whatever it is Vercors manages to make us believe in it. In part, the narrator is consistent in his Victorian gentleman tone and tenor. In part, the action reads like a convention parlor drama of manners. And in part, the book never doubts its own sincerity.
Sylva is a vixen. A female fox made human. There is no metaphor there. She is a fox. And Vercors has a lot of "naughty" (said in that Continental accent of a sophisticated pervert) fun, hmmm mmm, at the idea of a foxy, lithe, delicate vixen wiggling her behind and nuzzling in a circle. Its kinda funny in its furry proto-typing.
The "other" woman, Dorothy, is a hot mess herself. A narcotic fiend. And here is where the real story is...Vercors writes Dorothy with an intimate and full bodied depiction of a drug addict's unrepentant happiness. The last chapter where the narrator goes "courting" is such a marvelous set of pages - wherein the narrator falls into the beautiful frosted world of opium, floating along as he is dragged down into an ever increasingly perverse lifestyle.
Sylva is an incredibly strange novel and a real document of its time - a time when sci fi authors used the tropes of metamorphosis and strangelandism to explore the misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the sexual revolution.
Sylva is a vixen. A female fox made human. There is no metaphor there. She is a fox. And Vercors has a lot of "naughty" (said in that Continental accent of a sophisticated pervert) fun, hmmm mmm, at the idea of a foxy, lithe, delicate vixen wiggling her behind and nuzzling in a circle. Its kinda funny in its furry proto-typing.
The "other" woman, Dorothy, is a hot mess herself. A narcotic fiend. And here is where the real story is...Vercors writes Dorothy with an intimate and full bodied depiction of a drug addict's unrepentant happiness. The last chapter where the narrator goes "courting" is such a marvelous set of pages - wherein the narrator falls into the beautiful frosted world of opium, floating along as he is dragged down into an ever increasingly perverse lifestyle.
Sylva is an incredibly strange novel and a real document of its time - a time when sci fi authors used the tropes of metamorphosis and strangelandism to explore the misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the sexual revolution.
August 10, 2021
En los años veinte, un joven inglés presencia la milagrosa transformación de una zorra en una muchacha que, pese a todo, conserva inicialmente la mentalidad animal, aunque poco a poco va adquiriendo facultades humanas.
Eso es básicamente todo. Una narración contada en primera persona (y en pasado, supongo que porque esta misma historia, ambientada en los años sesenta, sería incluso más anodina), con un puntillismo cansino que no conduce realmente a nada, ni construye ningún tipo de discurso filosófico más allá de unas vagas nociones antropológicas que posiblemente ya estaban anticuadas en los años sesenta (y de ahí, también, esa ambientación anticuada).
Hay dispersas aquí y allá subtramas que involucran a la media docena de personajes secundarios con un mínimo de presencia, pero que se quedan igualmente en la superficie... y ya. Muy, muy poca sustancia para sustentar una narración tan larga. Da la impresión de un cuento largo, quizás incluso una novela corta, estirada y estirada hasta la extenuación.
Todo esto queda epitomizado en la apresurada resolución, que no cierra nada, no conecta con nada y no da sentido a nada, quedando únicamente como el giro sorpresa que podría diseñarse para un relato breve e inconsecuente. Puro impacto gratuito, sin mayor relevancia.
No termino de entender cómo pudo ser finalista del premio Hugo.
Eso es básicamente todo. Una narración contada en primera persona (y en pasado, supongo que porque esta misma historia, ambientada en los años sesenta, sería incluso más anodina), con un puntillismo cansino que no conduce realmente a nada, ni construye ningún tipo de discurso filosófico más allá de unas vagas nociones antropológicas que posiblemente ya estaban anticuadas en los años sesenta (y de ahí, también, esa ambientación anticuada).
Hay dispersas aquí y allá subtramas que involucran a la media docena de personajes secundarios con un mínimo de presencia, pero que se quedan igualmente en la superficie... y ya. Muy, muy poca sustancia para sustentar una narración tan larga. Da la impresión de un cuento largo, quizás incluso una novela corta, estirada y estirada hasta la extenuación.
Todo esto queda epitomizado en la apresurada resolución, que no cierra nada, no conecta con nada y no da sentido a nada, quedando únicamente como el giro sorpresa que podría diseñarse para un relato breve e inconsecuente. Puro impacto gratuito, sin mayor relevancia.
No termino de entender cómo pudo ser finalista del premio Hugo.
July 31, 2020
Strange: an absurd premise, but it unexpectedly sucked me in and I ended up enjoying it. I'm not sure about the ending, though!
May 22, 2024
finally
May 22, 2024
1.5 Stars
A book about a fox who turns into a girl. The protagonist is a wealthy man who "raises" the girl and eventually marries her. She has a baby and it's a fox. Very dumb and quite overwrought.
A book about a fox who turns into a girl. The protagonist is a wealthy man who "raises" the girl and eventually marries her. She has a baby and it's a fox. Very dumb and quite overwrought.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2022
Masterpiece by Jean Bruller! A hidden gem among books!
Honestly, I didn't expect it coming. It's so much more than the simple fiction story, it served only as a decoy. It's mostly about human nature and consciousness, philosophy of life, ethics, profound thematic.
Honestly, I didn't expect it coming. It's so much more than the simple fiction story, it served only as a decoy. It's mostly about human nature and consciousness, philosophy of life, ethics, profound thematic.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews