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Arijana, mlada Ruskinja
Devojka koja želi da sačuva privid svoje slobode.
Don žuan zaljubljen u iluzije.
Ljubavni duel u tri čina.
Arijana je lepa, inteligentna i ponosna devojka, koja šarmom i izgledom drži sve muškarce pod svojim nogama. Nakon što je detinjstvo provela po evropskim metropolama, sada živi u provinciji, sa tetkom Varvarom, koja joj je prenela svoj ideal slobodne ljubavi i neobaveznih avantura. Uprkos tome što otac želi da je uda, Arijana pronalazi način da ode na studije u Moskvu. Tokom izvođenja opere „Boris Godunov“ upoznaje Konstantina Mihaila, bogatog poslovnog čoveka. Između Arijane i njenog „velikog kneza“, koji „traži žene i zadovoljstvo i strepi od mlade devojke i moguće ljubavi“, razvija se strastvena veza prepuna sukoba. Da li će ljubav pobediti? Ništa nije sigurno…
Don žuan zaljubljen u iluzije.
Ljubavni duel u tri čina.
Arijana je lepa, inteligentna i ponosna devojka, koja šarmom i izgledom drži sve muškarce pod svojim nogama. Nakon što je detinjstvo provela po evropskim metropolama, sada živi u provinciji, sa tetkom Varvarom, koja joj je prenela svoj ideal slobodne ljubavi i neobaveznih avantura. Uprkos tome što otac želi da je uda, Arijana pronalazi način da ode na studije u Moskvu. Tokom izvođenja opere „Boris Godunov“ upoznaje Konstantina Mihaila, bogatog poslovnog čoveka. Između Arijane i njenog „velikog kneza“, koji „traži žene i zadovoljstvo i strepi od mlade devojke i moguće ljubavi“, razvija se strastvena veza prepuna sukoba. Da li će ljubav pobediti? Ništa nije sigurno…
234 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1924
19 people are currently reading
644 people want to read
About the author
Claude Anet
149 books7 followersPseudonym of Jean Schopfer
Jean Schopfer was a tennis player competing for France, and a writer, known under the pseudonym of Claude Anet. He reached two singles finals at the Amateur French Championships, winning in 1892 over British player Fassitt, and losing in 1893 to Laurent Riboulet.
Educated at the Sorbonne and the École du Louvre, Schopfer started writing in 1899. Under the name Claude Anet, Schopfer published many books, including La Révolution Russe, written after a trip to Russia during World War I, Mayerling, based on the Mayerling Incident, and Simon Kra, a biography of tennis player Suzanne Lenglen.
His 1920 novel Ariane, jeune fille russe has been adapted into a number of films including Ariane and Love in the Afternoon.
He died on 9 January 1931 in Paris.
Jean Schopfer was a tennis player competing for France, and a writer, known under the pseudonym of Claude Anet. He reached two singles finals at the Amateur French Championships, winning in 1892 over British player Fassitt, and losing in 1893 to Laurent Riboulet.
Educated at the Sorbonne and the École du Louvre, Schopfer started writing in 1899. Under the name Claude Anet, Schopfer published many books, including La Révolution Russe, written after a trip to Russia during World War I, Mayerling, based on the Mayerling Incident, and Simon Kra, a biography of tennis player Suzanne Lenglen.
His 1920 novel Ariane, jeune fille russe has been adapted into a number of films including Ariane and Love in the Afternoon.
He died on 9 January 1931 in Paris.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
May 24, 2014
Franchement, je ne sais pas pourquoi un pareil roman, si incroyable qu'il soit n'est pas un fameux Best-Seller !
je l'ai adoré, je l'ai lu en 2012, et je le relis maintenant, il m'a impressionné ! :)
Ariane, toute à fait brillante, libre, ayant un esprit ouvert, séduisante, intelligente, et orgueilleuse , vivant auprès de sa tante Varvara, ayant pu captivé l'attention et l'amour de tous les hommes de la ville, elle conclut un marché avec un ingénieur qu'elle a séduite, et qu'elle appelle son banquier, pour obtenir de l'argent de lui sans , toutefois, se vendre, seulement en se rendant chez lui , et lui raconter des histoires ...
Elle a décidé de se rendre à l'université , et là-bas , elle a rencontré Constantin Michel , avec qui elle a fini par coucher, elle a vécu avec lui une année, où elle le torturait en ramenant toujours le sujet qui le mettait au bout des nerfs ... ses anciens amants .
Enfin de compte, quand il a éclaté une nuit, où elle lui parlait de la liberté des femmes en amour, et en lui disant qu'il est le huitième amant qu'elle ait, il a décidé de la laisser tomber ...
deux jours après, elle lui avoue qu'il l'a eu vierge, et là , Constantin a été tout à fait bouleversé, il a reconnu qu'elle l'a vaincue, qu'elle a su se vaincre et le vaincre en silence, il ne savait pourquoi elle s'amusait à le torturer et à rendre l'amour impossible entre eux deux par sa méchanceté , mais il reconnait que si elle lui a avoué qu'elle était vierge dès le début, toute chose aura été différente il l'aura mieux traitée , il l'aura supporté, au lieu de tout ce qu'il lui a fait subir,
il a reconnu , que plus lui il s'abaissait , plus elle grandissait .... :)
Ben, voici certaines citations que j'en ai tiré :
* je ne veux pas devoir mon succès au mensonge. Tromper les hommes, leur persuader qu’on n’a jamais aimé avant eux, qu’ils cueillent sur nos lèvres le premier soupir de bonheur… Quelle honte !
*Si nous prenons un amant, il faut le faire en cachette. Les hommes parlent librement des femmes qu’ils ont eues. Et nous sommes condamnées à nous taire ! Pourquoi ? Ne sommes-nous pas libres comme vous ? N’avons-nous pas le droit de prendre, comme vous, notre plaisir où nous le trouvons ?
*Je veux être aimée d’une telle manière que l’on accepte tout de moi et que l’on me prenne comme je suis, avec mon passé… Et si l’on n’en veut pas, eh bien ! qu’on s’en aille ! Et je n’aurai pas un regret pour celui qui me quittera…
*Je pense que nous aurons nos droits réels lorsque seront détruits les préjugés qui nous ligotent plus étroitement que les lois écrites.
*La folie n'est pas ce qu’on raconte. Un fou est persuadé qu’il y a une logique exacte dans ce qu’il dit et ce qu’il fait
*Elle prenait son plaisir où elle le trouvait et laissait les gens parler
*Ils continuèrent longtemps à se déchirer l’un l’autre, souriants, impassibles, cherchant chacun la place faible de l’adversaire pour y enfoncer un trait acéré.
Constantin conclut en ces termes :
– Nous sommes tout près l’un de l’autre. Mais entre nous, il y a un abîme que rien ne peut combler. J’y renonce… Allons-nous-en.
*Évidemment tu dis avec simplicité des choses qu’une femme en Occident se ferait tuer plutôt que d’avouer. Faut-il reconnaître qu’une fois le premier moment d’étonnement passé, cette franchise un peu rude a son prix ? Peut-être même finirai-je perversement par y trouver du charme.
*Il semblait qu’un souffle de volupté montât des draps entrouverts qui avaient gardé la chaleur de leurs deux corps. Il eut une envie irrésistible de serrer Ariane dans ses bras, de lui parler durement, de lui dire qu’il était le maître, qu’il ne souffrirait pas une fois de plus ses insolences, puis de la prendre, de la caresser sans fin, et de passer une nuit, toute une nuit, le long d’elle, de s’endormir en la touchant, de se réveiller avec ce jeune corps appuyé sur le sien…
* De quel parfum usez-vous ? Il est délicieux
*Qui peut mesurer du dehors où est l’honneur et où est la honte ? C’est un sentiment enfoui au fond de nous et dont nous sommes seuls juges…
*quel que soit le degré de franchise que l’on se permette, il faut que l’amour, même physique, s’entoure de certaines illusions.
.. A continuer :)
*
je l'ai adoré, je l'ai lu en 2012, et je le relis maintenant, il m'a impressionné ! :)
Ariane, toute à fait brillante, libre, ayant un esprit ouvert, séduisante, intelligente, et orgueilleuse , vivant auprès de sa tante Varvara, ayant pu captivé l'attention et l'amour de tous les hommes de la ville, elle conclut un marché avec un ingénieur qu'elle a séduite, et qu'elle appelle son banquier, pour obtenir de l'argent de lui sans , toutefois, se vendre, seulement en se rendant chez lui , et lui raconter des histoires ...
Elle a décidé de se rendre à l'université , et là-bas , elle a rencontré Constantin Michel , avec qui elle a fini par coucher, elle a vécu avec lui une année, où elle le torturait en ramenant toujours le sujet qui le mettait au bout des nerfs ... ses anciens amants .
Enfin de compte, quand il a éclaté une nuit, où elle lui parlait de la liberté des femmes en amour, et en lui disant qu'il est le huitième amant qu'elle ait, il a décidé de la laisser tomber ...
deux jours après, elle lui avoue qu'il l'a eu vierge, et là , Constantin a été tout à fait bouleversé, il a reconnu qu'elle l'a vaincue, qu'elle a su se vaincre et le vaincre en silence, il ne savait pourquoi elle s'amusait à le torturer et à rendre l'amour impossible entre eux deux par sa méchanceté , mais il reconnait que si elle lui a avoué qu'elle était vierge dès le début, toute chose aura été différente il l'aura mieux traitée , il l'aura supporté, au lieu de tout ce qu'il lui a fait subir,
il a reconnu , que plus lui il s'abaissait , plus elle grandissait .... :)
Ben, voici certaines citations que j'en ai tiré :
* je ne veux pas devoir mon succès au mensonge. Tromper les hommes, leur persuader qu’on n’a jamais aimé avant eux, qu’ils cueillent sur nos lèvres le premier soupir de bonheur… Quelle honte !
*Si nous prenons un amant, il faut le faire en cachette. Les hommes parlent librement des femmes qu’ils ont eues. Et nous sommes condamnées à nous taire ! Pourquoi ? Ne sommes-nous pas libres comme vous ? N’avons-nous pas le droit de prendre, comme vous, notre plaisir où nous le trouvons ?
*Je veux être aimée d’une telle manière que l’on accepte tout de moi et que l’on me prenne comme je suis, avec mon passé… Et si l’on n’en veut pas, eh bien ! qu’on s’en aille ! Et je n’aurai pas un regret pour celui qui me quittera…
*Je pense que nous aurons nos droits réels lorsque seront détruits les préjugés qui nous ligotent plus étroitement que les lois écrites.
*La folie n'est pas ce qu’on raconte. Un fou est persuadé qu’il y a une logique exacte dans ce qu’il dit et ce qu’il fait
*Elle prenait son plaisir où elle le trouvait et laissait les gens parler
*Ils continuèrent longtemps à se déchirer l’un l’autre, souriants, impassibles, cherchant chacun la place faible de l’adversaire pour y enfoncer un trait acéré.
Constantin conclut en ces termes :
– Nous sommes tout près l’un de l’autre. Mais entre nous, il y a un abîme que rien ne peut combler. J’y renonce… Allons-nous-en.
*Évidemment tu dis avec simplicité des choses qu’une femme en Occident se ferait tuer plutôt que d’avouer. Faut-il reconnaître qu’une fois le premier moment d’étonnement passé, cette franchise un peu rude a son prix ? Peut-être même finirai-je perversement par y trouver du charme.
*Il semblait qu’un souffle de volupté montât des draps entrouverts qui avaient gardé la chaleur de leurs deux corps. Il eut une envie irrésistible de serrer Ariane dans ses bras, de lui parler durement, de lui dire qu’il était le maître, qu’il ne souffrirait pas une fois de plus ses insolences, puis de la prendre, de la caresser sans fin, et de passer une nuit, toute une nuit, le long d’elle, de s’endormir en la touchant, de se réveiller avec ce jeune corps appuyé sur le sien…
* De quel parfum usez-vous ? Il est délicieux
*Qui peut mesurer du dehors où est l’honneur et où est la honte ? C’est un sentiment enfoui au fond de nous et dont nous sommes seuls juges…
*quel que soit le degré de franchise que l’on se permette, il faut que l’amour, même physique, s’entoure de certaines illusions.
.. A continuer :)
*
March 28, 2018
Used as the basis for the movie of the same name, the flavor of the book is in the movie but, except for the last scene in both, they are different stories. Ariane is a young woman who gets involved with an older man. Both try to deny they are in love but truth wins out in the end.
I liked this book. It is romance but so much more. There is a freedom in Ariane's thoughts toward sex and love that changes her and Constantin. He hears her words but does not look beneath them until the end.
I liked the writing. It is intelligent and made me think. The words were not trite. I am definitely going to read more of Claude Anet. It was such a pleasure to read a book that I needed a dictionary at times.
I liked this book. It is romance but so much more. There is a freedom in Ariane's thoughts toward sex and love that changes her and Constantin. He hears her words but does not look beneath them until the end.
I liked the writing. It is intelligent and made me think. The words were not trite. I am definitely going to read more of Claude Anet. It was such a pleasure to read a book that I needed a dictionary at times.
December 12, 2025
A stripped-down emotional fable for grown-ups: it's Love in the Afternoon but without all the Billy Wilder bits (the cozy Paris location shots, private-detective shenanigans, etc.), although, gratifyingly, the book's ending is the same as the film's, train platform and all. The theme is mismatched wants in intimate relationships: what happens when we lie to ourselves, what happens when we lie to others. Constantin (the main male character) is a bit of a cipher, but Ariane -- tough, fierce, spiteful, scheming, tragically willing to stick out her emotional neck for an unsure thing -- is a pretty great character.
July 11, 2014
My grandma gave me a few books to read, this was the first one :). Ariane is a girl, smart beautiful and wise like an old lady (but she's 18). She really has many lovers. There's one guy she can't stop meeting, they begin a game; I named it; "who falls in love dies". So yeah, they have an affair, but driving each other to the limits isn't making it really easy. The end turns something. I guess a hundred years ago it would have flashed me. But today; it's a nice book :-)
September 7, 2024
The OG situationship
October 13, 2023
so well-written but the book just got worse as it went on 😭 one of the worst classics i’ve read recently
March 12, 2024
Oh my god that was unexpectedly so good. Didn’t know where it was going but what a punch for an ending. Wowweeee. This messy woman tortured me.
May 4, 2024
sometimes you just gotta have a weird toxic affair with a guy. and when he pulls you into his coupé after you’ve broken up? well, whatever
January 20, 2025
Honestly just a fucked up book but interesting nonetheless. One of those books you hate to say you enjoyed.
Where to begin… Arianne is a dynamic, free-spirited, and intelligent girl who has a knack for seducing and cruelly disregarding men, viewing them as games or favors rather than valuable individuals (girlboss). She is raised by her Aunt Varvara, whose rules surrounding men, sex, and love (combined with her ever-changing string of lovers) profoundly shapes Arianne’s perspective from a young age. Her relationship with Constantin marks the first time she falls in love, challenging these belief systems that have shielded her from emotional vulnerability in the realm of romantic partnerships. The dynamic between them is a constant game of cat and mouse, with both harboring more serious feelings for each other but refusing to admit them. Arianne even resorts to shocking, sometimes cruel behavior to push Constantin away. I saw someone describe this as the OG situationship, and I couldn’t agree more. But instead of a “wyd” text on a Friday night it’s wealthy bourgeoisie parading around in 1920s Moscow.
From a feminist perspective: -2/10. There’s an age gap, Arianne is written as a textbook manic pixie dream girl with daddy issues, and Constantin’s misogynistic desire for her to submit to him is nauseating. But from a readability standpoint: 10/10. It’s gripping, thought-provoking, and controversial in a way that holds your attention. And unfortunately, these dynamics mirror realities young women still navigate today
Structurally, the novel is intriguing. It’s short but the shift in perspective from beginning to end is stark. Early on, the narrative focuses almost exclusively on Arianne (Constantin hasn’t entered the picture yet). But as the story progresses, his perspective becomes dominant, and Arianne’s characterization shifts dramatically. Whether this shift was intentional or not, it’s brilliant–it forces the reader to question the story’s power dynamics and how much of Arianne’s character is framed through Constantin’s lens (and previously, the influence of the men around her and her perceived association with them).
Some readers might dislike Arianne’s eventual vulnerability and the ending but SHE’S LITERALLY 18? And it’s her first love? She’s just a girl y’all PLEASE. I wasn’t happy either but thought it was extremely realistic. Also, by the end of the novel, we realize how little we truly know about either protagonists (which reflects how little they truly know about each other- despite “being in love”). Everything we learn comes through their relationship, where both constantly withhold parts of themselves to avoid vulnerability. Just fascinating and very layered (in about 170 pages!!)
Where to begin… Arianne is a dynamic, free-spirited, and intelligent girl who has a knack for seducing and cruelly disregarding men, viewing them as games or favors rather than valuable individuals (girlboss). She is raised by her Aunt Varvara, whose rules surrounding men, sex, and love (combined with her ever-changing string of lovers) profoundly shapes Arianne’s perspective from a young age. Her relationship with Constantin marks the first time she falls in love, challenging these belief systems that have shielded her from emotional vulnerability in the realm of romantic partnerships. The dynamic between them is a constant game of cat and mouse, with both harboring more serious feelings for each other but refusing to admit them. Arianne even resorts to shocking, sometimes cruel behavior to push Constantin away. I saw someone describe this as the OG situationship, and I couldn’t agree more. But instead of a “wyd” text on a Friday night it’s wealthy bourgeoisie parading around in 1920s Moscow.
From a feminist perspective: -2/10. There’s an age gap, Arianne is written as a textbook manic pixie dream girl with daddy issues, and Constantin’s misogynistic desire for her to submit to him is nauseating. But from a readability standpoint: 10/10. It’s gripping, thought-provoking, and controversial in a way that holds your attention. And unfortunately, these dynamics mirror realities young women still navigate today
Structurally, the novel is intriguing. It’s short but the shift in perspective from beginning to end is stark. Early on, the narrative focuses almost exclusively on Arianne (Constantin hasn’t entered the picture yet). But as the story progresses, his perspective becomes dominant, and Arianne’s characterization shifts dramatically. Whether this shift was intentional or not, it’s brilliant–it forces the reader to question the story’s power dynamics and how much of Arianne’s character is framed through Constantin’s lens (and previously, the influence of the men around her and her perceived association with them).
Some readers might dislike Arianne’s eventual vulnerability and the ending but SHE’S LITERALLY 18? And it’s her first love? She’s just a girl y’all PLEASE. I wasn’t happy either but thought it was extremely realistic. Also, by the end of the novel, we realize how little we truly know about either protagonists (which reflects how little they truly know about each other- despite “being in love”). Everything we learn comes through their relationship, where both constantly withhold parts of themselves to avoid vulnerability. Just fascinating and very layered (in about 170 pages!!)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2024
perhaps the kind of unconventional (though still a bit formulaic) romance you would expect to be written by an early 20th century bon vivant. The whole thing is propelled by an aura of gossip which, for a novel, is a hard kind of tone to pull off so credit where it's due. I've seen some superficial comparisons to Lolita, but that feels very off base to me, very different novels. Especially considering the ending, this comes across as a bit of well-fashioned wish fulfillment. Not entirely without style or interest though!
September 10, 2024
I am so into reading stories about young girls and their older lovers this year huh?
February 19, 2025
I think I would have liked this more in my teens. But yeah, it’s hard to be a young girl, then and now.
I wish the translation had been (much) better.
I wish the translation had been (much) better.
May 19, 2025
1920'lerde yazılmış bir aşk romanı. Orijinal adı Ariane. Sonrasında filmi de çekildi ve Audrey Hepburn oynadı. Film ve kitap birbirinden oldukça farklılar. Kitap Rusya'da geçiyor, film Paris'te.
October 23, 2023
I really wish this book wasn’t so well written because wow did I hate the topic. The novel consists of Claude Anet projecting his desire for a fling with a young, impulsive manic pixie dream girl (17 years old fyi). Ariane makes some compelling arguments when talking about the perception of womens’ promiscuity, but it is undercut by the ending. The “twist” (her virginity when the couple met, though she claimed to sleep around) is incredibly boring and gross of him to fetishize. In the final scene, Constantin sweeps her off of her feet, lifting her onto his departing train and forgiving her for lying about sleeping with a bunch of men for 10 months. As soon as she believes he will leave her, she confesses that she lied about having prior sexual partners. Blah. Do not recommend. No one needs 169 pages of misogyny nor do they need uncomfortable age gap relationships. Constantin is a total creep.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2021
I was curious to read this 1920 novel having seen the Audrey Hepburn/Gary Cooper film that was based on it. The original novel, in French, is titled: Ariane, jeune fille russe (Ariane, young Russian girl). The translated English novel has the same title as the film, Love in the Afternoon.
The heroine is a young woman named Ariane, seventeen and in her final year of school when the novel starts. She lives with her eccentric and charming Aunt Varvara in a provincial Russian town. Ariane is a brilliant student with a large circle of male admirers, whom she holds at arm's length.
Denied the chance to go university by her father, she makes her own arrangements to fund her studies and sets off to Moscow. There she meets the hero, much older man-of-the-world Constantin, one night at the opera. He's described as: "tall, of no definite age, with a touch of carelessness and assurance in his bearing".
They both essentially fall for one another hard, but both attempt to deny it and conceal it. Constantin becomes increasingly jealous about Ariane's past. Towards the end she finally confirms the details (though she is lying) of all her previous lovers, and he ditches her. Which is rather bizarre, since supposedly he had assumed that she had had previous lovers when they met. (If readers want a reason to dislike him even more, he also takes up another mistress while he's with Ariane).
Later Constantin finds Ariane sobbing and confessing that it was all untrue, and that she was "innocent" when they met. He realises the truth of this but he still leaves. Then there's an eleventh hour reconciliation which is all quite abrupt. Interestingly it's the exact same ending as the film (which is otherwise only a very loose adaption of the novel, barely an adaptation at all, in fact. None of the book's other characters are represented, and the protagonists are wildly different).
Overall the novel is not as satisfying as it could be, as several loose ends are left regarding other characters. Such detailed portraits have been created of these other people in Ariane's life, in particular Aunt Varvara, it's disappointing that they are somewhat cheaply discarded about three-quarters of the way through - we don't hear from them again. Other themes, such as Ariane's true parentage, also fall by the wayside.
Readers who enjoy novels of this era, with the (now antiquated) mores, morals and melodrama of the early 20th century, should enjoy this. Descriptions are lavish and there's a lot to enjoy. Aspects of it reminded me of certain Elinor Glyn novels, in particular The Career of Katherine Bush.
Note: I read the translated version which was published by Classica Libris. I could not find the name of the translator, but a comparison with the original French suggest that it is an excellent translation with careful and precise nuance. For example, "des families de la petite bourgeoisie sans fortune" is translated as "lower middle-class families of no substance".
The heroine is a young woman named Ariane, seventeen and in her final year of school when the novel starts. She lives with her eccentric and charming Aunt Varvara in a provincial Russian town. Ariane is a brilliant student with a large circle of male admirers, whom she holds at arm's length.
Denied the chance to go university by her father, she makes her own arrangements to fund her studies and sets off to Moscow. There she meets the hero, much older man-of-the-world Constantin, one night at the opera. He's described as: "tall, of no definite age, with a touch of carelessness and assurance in his bearing".
They both essentially fall for one another hard, but both attempt to deny it and conceal it. Constantin becomes increasingly jealous about Ariane's past. Towards the end she finally confirms the details (though she is lying) of all her previous lovers, and he ditches her. Which is rather bizarre, since supposedly he had assumed that she had had previous lovers when they met. (If readers want a reason to dislike him even more, he also takes up another mistress while he's with Ariane).
Later Constantin finds Ariane sobbing and confessing that it was all untrue, and that she was "innocent" when they met. He realises the truth of this but he still leaves. Then there's an eleventh hour reconciliation which is all quite abrupt. Interestingly it's the exact same ending as the film (which is otherwise only a very loose adaption of the novel, barely an adaptation at all, in fact. None of the book's other characters are represented, and the protagonists are wildly different).
Overall the novel is not as satisfying as it could be, as several loose ends are left regarding other characters. Such detailed portraits have been created of these other people in Ariane's life, in particular Aunt Varvara, it's disappointing that they are somewhat cheaply discarded about three-quarters of the way through - we don't hear from them again. Other themes, such as Ariane's true parentage, also fall by the wayside.
Readers who enjoy novels of this era, with the (now antiquated) mores, morals and melodrama of the early 20th century, should enjoy this. Descriptions are lavish and there's a lot to enjoy. Aspects of it reminded me of certain Elinor Glyn novels, in particular The Career of Katherine Bush.
Note: I read the translated version which was published by Classica Libris. I could not find the name of the translator, but a comparison with the original French suggest that it is an excellent translation with careful and precise nuance. For example, "des families de la petite bourgeoisie sans fortune" is translated as "lower middle-class families of no substance".
March 29, 2021
Wir lernen die junge russische Gymnasiastin Ariane kennen. Bildschön, intelligent, geistreich ist sie – die Männer liegen ihr zu Füßen. Sie aber spielt nur mit ihnen, ermuntert sie mal, verlacht sie dann.
Ihr Ruf im Städtchen leidet, zu frech ihr Verhalten, zu lose ihr Umgang mit Männern. "Ich bereue niemals, was ich getan habe", sagt sie und geht zum Studium nach Moskau. Sie lernt dort den älteren Frauenschwarm Konstantin kennen. Nun spielen sie Komödie und geben vor, dass bei ihrer Liaison doch weiter nichts sei, jedenfalls keine Liebe. Konstantin kennt viele Frauen und die sehr junge Ariane, sie hat das ganze Leben noch vor sich, wer wird da von Bindung sprechen. Nein, ganz unverbindlich soll es bleiben. Zwar sind sie voneinander fasziniert und suchen die Nähe, doch nur um den anderen gleich wieder wegzustoßen.
Aber wir, die Leser dieses vorzüglichen Romans, haben die zwei Schauspieler längst durchschaut: Sie lieben sich doch, die beiden. Oder nicht? Sie bleiben doch zusammen, stimmt's?
Ich möchte hier nicht mehr verraten, aber so viel kann ich sagen: Der Roman ist exzellent aufgebaut und hervorragend geschrieben, mal heiter bis ironisch, mal gedrückt bis zu Tode betrübt, dabei nie geschwätzig, immer subtil und zart und köstlich. Durch ein Wechselbad der Gefühle schickt Claude Anet seine Protagonisten …. und uns gleich mit dazu. Auch ich leide und lache und bin doch angespannt-beklommen …. wie wird dies gefährliche Spiel enden?
Claude Anet veröffentlichte 1920 sein Buch unter dem treffenden Titel "Ariane, jeune fille russe", warum es in Neuübersetzung nun unter einem Filmtitel erscheint, ist unverständlich bis ungehörig.
Ich möchte es jedenfalls einer an sehr guter Literatur interessierten Leserschaft unbedingt empfehlen. "Ariane" gehört zu den allerbesten Romanen, die ich je gelesen habe. Das ist ganz, ganz sicher.
March 17, 2021
A beautifully written and translated book on the topic of emancipation of a Russian girl in the 19th century. Although the love story Ariana gets herself involved in is rather cheesy to the eyes of 21st century readers, I enjoyed it reading about it very much. Also the ending makes me hopeful when it comes to romances. It shows that in the end you cannot fight your feelings.
July 28, 2025
Alright I lowkey randomly kind of loved this (??) Essentially a story of an extremely toxic situationship between two objectively bad people* set in late-Tsarist Russia written with pretty shocking sexual candor by a French author more famous for being an athlete (google's first return for Anet's name is 'tennis player' -- he won the French Open in 1892)! Had one particularly famous movie adaptation (apparently) -- Love in the Afternoon, directed by Billy Wilder and starring Audrey Hepburn -- but also has a handful of others in various different languages.
Asterisk on bad people above because Ariane should get some grace -- she's essentially a child throughout the novel and was neglected and essentially sexualized by her family throughout her adolescence. She recalls a number of encounters that are pretty blatantly cases of groping/sexual harassment of a minor. Power dynamics between age and sex play a central role in the novel -- Constantin Michel is far older than Ariane, 17-turning-18 when we meet her, though the exact gap is never explicitly said.
So you can't really blame Ariane at all for being ridiculously toxic and manipulating the shit out of men when she has the chance and flipping the power dynamic (she's also pretty shitty to women in the book too, but oh well). She doesn't really consider herself a victim -- if anything, she outwardly professes that she's grateful for her effect on men and their predatory behavior because it's allowed her to wrap them around her finger and get what she wants (but inwardly, in a deeply repressed sense, you can obviously call that more into question).
So, the themes are fairly heavy, but the book manages to be more fun than anything, really -- it's funny without being a comedy and light despite also being deeply serious and messy. Michel gets no asterisk -- he's just a shitty dude, profoundly hypocritical and jealous despite professing himself to be above those things, but otherwise he's a relatively honest shitty dude. Well, both claim to be honest, but of course neither can be honest with themself and admit they love and need each other -- their love is pretty awful and not at all endearing and pretty much entirely predicated on sex, but they also kind of deserve each other so it's fun to pull for.
And, again, their lying and shittiness and transgessions are all so ridiculous and erratic (and yet still real) that it just becomes a good time to read about. I didn't think it would stick the landing so well either -- the ending's great: funny and fitting.
The book is both obviously dated and yet shockingly undated -- the casualness with which interactions that we would fully consider deeply problematic/criminal is latent, but there's also a good deal of commentary on this in some of Ariane's monologues (that of course piss off and torture Michel but are Ariane at her most powerful/likeable). And, again, the frankness of sex and sexual discourse in the book is pretty eye-opening -- I honestly don't know that I've read a more sexually explicit book from around this time or earlier.
I genuinely think that if this book had a high-ish profile gen-z book influencer or two backing it, it could get rediscovered and trendy in indie classics girl circles -- I don't mean that at all mockingly, it's just legitimately an excellent and pretty juicy ass book about an insane just-for-the-sex situationship (written in literally 1920) where both people are gaslighting the fuck out of each other and themselves. Also, Anet finishing this in Arkhangelsk (one of the coldest, most desolate cities in the world) during an insane time in Russian history is hilarious and more reason to love it.
Why this flew up my reading list I don't know, but I think I can mostly attribute it to (a) the allure of an NYRB set in Russia with a French author (hard not to be intrigued by that combo), but also (b) to the generational run that French media has been on in my life recently. Arcane: excellent; Les Grandes Meulnes: not necessarily my favorite but loved the moodiness and adolescent ennui of it + one of my favorite covers ever; Clair Obscur: completely deserving of all the hype so far; Portrait of a Lady on Fire: one of the most breathtaking movies I've ever seen.
I kind of want to say this is a guilty pleasure, but not sure I'm all that guilty about it -- this may genuinely be one of my top 5 favorite books of the year.
Asterisk on bad people above because Ariane should get some grace -- she's essentially a child throughout the novel and was neglected and essentially sexualized by her family throughout her adolescence. She recalls a number of encounters that are pretty blatantly cases of groping/sexual harassment of a minor. Power dynamics between age and sex play a central role in the novel -- Constantin Michel is far older than Ariane, 17-turning-18 when we meet her, though the exact gap is never explicitly said.
So you can't really blame Ariane at all for being ridiculously toxic and manipulating the shit out of men when she has the chance and flipping the power dynamic (she's also pretty shitty to women in the book too, but oh well). She doesn't really consider herself a victim -- if anything, she outwardly professes that she's grateful for her effect on men and their predatory behavior because it's allowed her to wrap them around her finger and get what she wants (but inwardly, in a deeply repressed sense, you can obviously call that more into question).
So, the themes are fairly heavy, but the book manages to be more fun than anything, really -- it's funny without being a comedy and light despite also being deeply serious and messy. Michel gets no asterisk -- he's just a shitty dude, profoundly hypocritical and jealous despite professing himself to be above those things, but otherwise he's a relatively honest shitty dude. Well, both claim to be honest, but of course neither can be honest with themself and admit they love and need each other -- their love is pretty awful and not at all endearing and pretty much entirely predicated on sex, but they also kind of deserve each other so it's fun to pull for.
And, again, their lying and shittiness and transgessions are all so ridiculous and erratic (and yet still real) that it just becomes a good time to read about. I didn't think it would stick the landing so well either -- the ending's great: funny and fitting.
The book is both obviously dated and yet shockingly undated -- the casualness with which interactions that we would fully consider deeply problematic/criminal is latent, but there's also a good deal of commentary on this in some of Ariane's monologues (that of course piss off and torture Michel but are Ariane at her most powerful/likeable). And, again, the frankness of sex and sexual discourse in the book is pretty eye-opening -- I honestly don't know that I've read a more sexually explicit book from around this time or earlier.
I genuinely think that if this book had a high-ish profile gen-z book influencer or two backing it, it could get rediscovered and trendy in indie classics girl circles -- I don't mean that at all mockingly, it's just legitimately an excellent and pretty juicy ass book about an insane just-for-the-sex situationship (written in literally 1920) where both people are gaslighting the fuck out of each other and themselves. Also, Anet finishing this in Arkhangelsk (one of the coldest, most desolate cities in the world) during an insane time in Russian history is hilarious and more reason to love it.
Why this flew up my reading list I don't know, but I think I can mostly attribute it to (a) the allure of an NYRB set in Russia with a French author (hard not to be intrigued by that combo), but also (b) to the generational run that French media has been on in my life recently. Arcane: excellent; Les Grandes Meulnes: not necessarily my favorite but loved the moodiness and adolescent ennui of it + one of my favorite covers ever; Clair Obscur: completely deserving of all the hype so far; Portrait of a Lady on Fire: one of the most breathtaking movies I've ever seen.
I kind of want to say this is a guilty pleasure, but not sure I'm all that guilty about it -- this may genuinely be one of my top 5 favorite books of the year.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2024
Curious little book that feels as if it were written by Colette. It's about a very feisty student, Ariane, who insists on being an independent sexual being but has to justify this to herself, at a time when most women were anything but. Set in pre-revolution times, Ariane meets with a rich business man and embarks on an affair with him. She juggles with wanting to love him, yet fears doing so because she suspects Constantin will grow tired of her. As the story progresses, each grows more and more attached and yet struggles against it. Can Constantin actually accept the number of lovers Ariane admits to? Is Ariane really as comfortable with her love life as she claims? It seems as if there can be no resolution but the final scene provides a sneaky twist.
February 6, 2024
I wouldn't normally give up on such a short book. I read the first half, and there was nothing that made me care about Ariane as a character. Men are playthings to her, she does her own thing, sees no shame in sex work, and that's all fine, but that's her one dimension and I found it boring. I reread parts of part one just because the way it ends made me think I must have missed something.
I read about her meeting Constantin but I just didn't care about either of them. There's just better books on my shelf.
I read about her meeting Constantin but I just didn't care about either of them. There's just better books on my shelf.
March 19, 2024
This is a French novel first and foremost. Secondly, why do the French always have to be so creepy when they write women- basing this opinion solely on this book and the movie, Leon the Professional.
Otherwise, this novel is filled with contradictory characters, flip flopping commentary on society (some of it is ahead of the time it was written in I will grant the book that), and a “twist” that doesn’t really work. There was at least one good paragraph in this book that did make it worth reading for me. Aside from that, do not read Ariane, a FRENCH girl.
Otherwise, this novel is filled with contradictory characters, flip flopping commentary on society (some of it is ahead of the time it was written in I will grant the book that), and a “twist” that doesn’t really work. There was at least one good paragraph in this book that did make it worth reading for me. Aside from that, do not read Ariane, a FRENCH girl.
July 10, 2025
I found this to be an interesting but ultimately frustrating read. I simply could not warm to Ariane, even though her thoughts re women's place in the world were extremely forward thinking at the time (even more so when you consider author was male). It's definitely worth reading if you are interested in the time frame and setting.
September 23, 2025
The entire book, I loved how much of a badass Ariane was, truly summed up the ideals of the power of the feminine mystique. I remember being shocked by the fact that it was written by a man. My shock was well placed. Anet flipped the entire script and Ariane's character in the last 10 pages. I HATED the ending, ruined the entire book for me.
October 9, 2023
3.50
The 1920 novel which was adapted several times, most famously as Wilder's "Love In The Afternoon" from 1957. Somewhat slight (but perhaps it just seems that way coming sandwiched between some much heavier reads) but glad to have encountered it. It is a quick read.
The 1920 novel which was adapted several times, most famously as Wilder's "Love In The Afternoon" from 1957. Somewhat slight (but perhaps it just seems that way coming sandwiched between some much heavier reads) but glad to have encountered it. It is a quick read.
March 17, 2020
Buncha dudes trying to fuck a girl their daughter’s age... Who can’t relate!!
March 13, 2023
men☕️
September 5, 2023
A FANTASTIC read. Easily jumps into the place of one of my favourites.
September 9, 2023
the ultimate situationship
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