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Lost Profile
As erotic and sophisticated as ever, Françoise Sagan's latest novel again maps out the complexities and ironies in the relationships between men and women, offering some stringent observations on the lives of the very, very rich.
'As a constant admirer of Miss Sagan's work, I was pleased to find her latest novel, Lost Profile, not only up to her established standards but really among the best of her oeuvre. Swift, graceful and well-equipped, with a goodly assortment of those zestful insights peculiar to Miss Sagan' - Truman Capote
'As a constant admirer of Miss Sagan's work, I was pleased to find her latest novel, Lost Profile, not only up to her established standards but really among the best of her oeuvre. Swift, graceful and well-equipped, with a goodly assortment of those zestful insights peculiar to Miss Sagan' - Truman Capote
142 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1974
13 people are currently reading
415 people want to read
About the author
Françoise Sagan
249 books1,659 followersBorn Françoise Quoirez, Sagan grew up in a French Catholic, bourgeois family. She was an independent thinker and avid reader as a young girl, and upon failing her examinations for continuing at the Sorbonne, she became a writer.
She went to her family's home in the south of France and wrote her first novel, Bonjour Tristesse, at age 18. She submitted it to Editions Juillard in January 1954 and it was published that March. Later that year, She won the Prix des Critiques for Bonjour Tristesse.
She chose "Sagan" as her pen name because she liked the sound of it and also liked the reference to the Prince and Princesse de Sagan, 19th century Parisians, who are said to be the basis of some of Marcel Proust's characters.
She was known for her love of drinking, gambling, and fast driving. Her habit of driving fast was moderated after a serious car accident in 1957 involving her Aston Martin while she was living in Milly, France.
Sagan was twice married and divorced, and subsequently maintained several long-term lesbian relationships. First married in 1958 to Guy Schoeller, a publisher, they divorced in 1960, and she was then married to Robert James Westhoff, an American ceramicist and sculptor, from 1962 to 63. She had one son, Denis, from her second marriage.
She won the Prix de Monaco in 1984 in recognition of all of her work.
She went to her family's home in the south of France and wrote her first novel, Bonjour Tristesse, at age 18. She submitted it to Editions Juillard in January 1954 and it was published that March. Later that year, She won the Prix des Critiques for Bonjour Tristesse.
She chose "Sagan" as her pen name because she liked the sound of it and also liked the reference to the Prince and Princesse de Sagan, 19th century Parisians, who are said to be the basis of some of Marcel Proust's characters.
She was known for her love of drinking, gambling, and fast driving. Her habit of driving fast was moderated after a serious car accident in 1957 involving her Aston Martin while she was living in Milly, France.
Sagan was twice married and divorced, and subsequently maintained several long-term lesbian relationships. First married in 1958 to Guy Schoeller, a publisher, they divorced in 1960, and she was then married to Robert James Westhoff, an American ceramicist and sculptor, from 1962 to 63. She had one son, Denis, from her second marriage.
She won the Prix de Monaco in 1984 in recognition of all of her work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
July 14, 2024
Truman Capote called this novel "swift" and "graceful." Those words bring a racehorse to my mind. No excess flesh. Lean with muscle. Something to be admired. Capote nailed it. Swift and graceful is what you get from start to finish with Sagan.
At just over 140 pages, it is a short novel. Yet, that isn't a shortcoming. Think of the perfect slice of a French pastry. More or bigger doesn't come to mind. The delight it gives is in the ingredients which are deftly blended and baked. This isn't a mass market factory produced cake. It is the sort that is hard to copy. Why? The purity of its recipe.
Josie is a young woman in a marriage coming undone. Nothing exceptional in that except how Sagan makes us care. Here is a moment when Josie is briefly happy.
"Paris was dazzling on this evening of spring. The golds and blues of its facades were as elusive as the light that bathed them. Its bridges seemed suspended in midair, its monuments floating, its pedestrians winged. In my euphoria, I went into a florist's shop and a basset hound came running up to me, barking. It appeared to be alone in charge of the establishment. ?After a few minutes, when no one had come, I asked the dog the price of the tulips and roses. I walked round the shop pointing out pot plants to him and he followed me, yapping, obviously delighted with this new game. I was discoursing enthusiastically on the merits of the daffodils when someone knocked on the window. I turned and saw a man standing on the pavement, smiling and tapping his forehead ironically with his index finger. My pantomime with the dog for the past five minutes must have looked pretty absurd, and I smiled back at him ...
'There was no one here,' I said. 'It's strange, this open shop.'
'The only thing to do is to help yourself to the dog and a rose,' he said.
And he picked a rose from a vase and presented it to me."
This little novel is a rose to me. Pick it up. The scent is delicate. The petals are light pink.
At just over 140 pages, it is a short novel. Yet, that isn't a shortcoming. Think of the perfect slice of a French pastry. More or bigger doesn't come to mind. The delight it gives is in the ingredients which are deftly blended and baked. This isn't a mass market factory produced cake. It is the sort that is hard to copy. Why? The purity of its recipe.
Josie is a young woman in a marriage coming undone. Nothing exceptional in that except how Sagan makes us care. Here is a moment when Josie is briefly happy.
"Paris was dazzling on this evening of spring. The golds and blues of its facades were as elusive as the light that bathed them. Its bridges seemed suspended in midair, its monuments floating, its pedestrians winged. In my euphoria, I went into a florist's shop and a basset hound came running up to me, barking. It appeared to be alone in charge of the establishment. ?After a few minutes, when no one had come, I asked the dog the price of the tulips and roses. I walked round the shop pointing out pot plants to him and he followed me, yapping, obviously delighted with this new game. I was discoursing enthusiastically on the merits of the daffodils when someone knocked on the window. I turned and saw a man standing on the pavement, smiling and tapping his forehead ironically with his index finger. My pantomime with the dog for the past five minutes must have looked pretty absurd, and I smiled back at him ...
'There was no one here,' I said. 'It's strange, this open shop.'
'The only thing to do is to help yourself to the dog and a rose,' he said.
And he picked a rose from a vase and presented it to me."
This little novel is a rose to me. Pick it up. The scent is delicate. The petals are light pink.
February 8, 2018
Lost Profile was my third novel by Sagan. If I recall well, I read it in 2017 so that makes it my most recent Sagan read. This novel, like most of Sagan's work, is told from a woman’s point of view. Who is the heroine and the narrator of Lost Profile? Her name is Josée. At the start of the novel, she is a young French woman married to a rich American guy named Henry (if I recall well, I’m not so sure about his name). The novel opens up with a party at which we witness the husband’s jealously. Josée and Henry's relationship is turning toxic. Not long into the novel, their marriage becomes seriously abusive. The brutality realistic description of love that turns bitter really stuck with me. Sagan wrote it with much clarity. It is always chilling when love dies, no matter the circumstances.
Our heroine Josée hardly gets any sleep and small wonder as her married life turns into torture. Josée sleeps only when she takes sleeping pills- but even those few hours of stolen sleep are too much for her possessive husband who wants to have her by his side 24/7. Soon the crazed husband puts Josée under a house arrest. The less love there is left in their marriage (how much love can it be left after he imprisons her?), the more the husband craves the love and surely enough the marriage falls apart. It may seem like I’m throwing spoilers at you, but this is, in fact, just the beginning of the novel. The story only gets started when an older man Julius helps our heroine escape her predicament. Who is he? An angel, a friend, a benefactor? What are his intentions, does he mean only to help or does he have a hidden agenda?
Having been supported by her husband for years, our heroine Josee is a bit lost. While Josee was in love with her husband, she didn’t feel guilty about spending his money, but now that she no longer loves him (that much is clear), she would like to be independent. Incredibly, Josee manages to find a nice apartment and a good job as a writer in record time. The way the novel is written lets us know that something is odd about that, but Josee doesn’t second guess her sudden success. There is a fair amount of wonderful irony in this novel so if you enjoy that sort of thing, you won't be left disappointment.
Josée was a fascinating, if a frustating character. She is naïve, incredibly so. Maybe it is a reaction to domestic abuse she suffered in her marriage? Josee seems naïve to the point of being dumb but interestingly enough she never seems like a victim, she never feels sorry for herself. It is like she doesn’t allow herself to be a victim, in her detached way she does take responsibility for her life. There is complexity to her, at least there is a potential for complexity, and one feels she is not a simpleton. At times I was really frustrated with her, but then I realized that this ‘innocence bordering on stupidity’ was perhaps just her method of dealing with life.
All of this comes off rather strong because of the way the novel is written, it is literally impossible for the reader not to put the two and together and wonder why Josee won’t do the same. I felt like there was something almost bourgeois about Josee's detachment with life. Perhaps it is her way of ignoring life. Like many of Sagan’s heroine, she doesn’t care much about the conventional morality but she has her principles and for that I liked her. Moreover, I enjoyed to read her meditations on painting (she gets a job as an art critic). Josee is a woman who seems perfectly capable for love, but for some reason she seems to be magnet for trouble. Gee, I wonder why is that so.
What kind of novel is it? Well, there is a love story but I don’t want to reveal any details. You probably gathered that the love story is not between the heroine and her husband, but as I don’t want to include any spoilers, I won’t reveal anything else. There were a quite a few credible minor characters and that made the novel so much better. I loved the way Josee’s mother-in-law and her boss seemed like well-rounded characters whose actions made perfect sense.
The plot was at times predictable, but so much that I was actually left confused and uncertain, so perhaps that’s another way to keep the reader’s interest. I will say that I feel there was more to this novel that the story. Lost Profile seems to speak about love on so many levels. It speaks (both directly and indirectly) about abuse, jealousy, love, friendship and social life. Often it speaks about these themes with a casualty that somehow doesn’t exclude profoundness. That’s the best way I can describe it. In a very French way, Sagan seems to say a lot with few words. I don’t really care that much about the pacing, the plot or even the credibility of this novel, I was left satisfied with those leisure sentences that seemed to reveal so much.
Is Lost Profile also a tale of obsession? Perhaps it is, but in more ways than one. I would say that it is first and foremost a story about love. I was surprised to see that love actually plays an important part (especially after the bitter start to the novel), but I still wouldn’t call it a typical romance novel. I feel like there are two ways to read this novel. If you’re going to focus only on the plot and the events, the chance is that you’re going to miss out on a lot.
What I will take from this novel are not so much the characters and the events, but the complexity of the seemingly simple Sagan’s writing. The story just seems to flow in a way that is as effortless as Parisian chic. It is very easy to read, but it is still the kind of book that stays with you, if you know what I mean. I think the strength of Sagan’s works is always in the philosophical undertones. What is significant is perhaps not so much the story and the characters, but what they could symbolize. To sum it all up, Sagan is a wonderfully intelligent and subtle writer and this novel was a fascinating and enjoyable read.
Our heroine Josée hardly gets any sleep and small wonder as her married life turns into torture. Josée sleeps only when she takes sleeping pills- but even those few hours of stolen sleep are too much for her possessive husband who wants to have her by his side 24/7. Soon the crazed husband puts Josée under a house arrest. The less love there is left in their marriage (how much love can it be left after he imprisons her?), the more the husband craves the love and surely enough the marriage falls apart. It may seem like I’m throwing spoilers at you, but this is, in fact, just the beginning of the novel. The story only gets started when an older man Julius helps our heroine escape her predicament. Who is he? An angel, a friend, a benefactor? What are his intentions, does he mean only to help or does he have a hidden agenda?
Having been supported by her husband for years, our heroine Josee is a bit lost. While Josee was in love with her husband, she didn’t feel guilty about spending his money, but now that she no longer loves him (that much is clear), she would like to be independent. Incredibly, Josee manages to find a nice apartment and a good job as a writer in record time. The way the novel is written lets us know that something is odd about that, but Josee doesn’t second guess her sudden success. There is a fair amount of wonderful irony in this novel so if you enjoy that sort of thing, you won't be left disappointment.
Josée was a fascinating, if a frustating character. She is naïve, incredibly so. Maybe it is a reaction to domestic abuse she suffered in her marriage? Josee seems naïve to the point of being dumb but interestingly enough she never seems like a victim, she never feels sorry for herself. It is like she doesn’t allow herself to be a victim, in her detached way she does take responsibility for her life. There is complexity to her, at least there is a potential for complexity, and one feels she is not a simpleton. At times I was really frustrated with her, but then I realized that this ‘innocence bordering on stupidity’ was perhaps just her method of dealing with life.
All of this comes off rather strong because of the way the novel is written, it is literally impossible for the reader not to put the two and together and wonder why Josee won’t do the same. I felt like there was something almost bourgeois about Josee's detachment with life. Perhaps it is her way of ignoring life. Like many of Sagan’s heroine, she doesn’t care much about the conventional morality but she has her principles and for that I liked her. Moreover, I enjoyed to read her meditations on painting (she gets a job as an art critic). Josee is a woman who seems perfectly capable for love, but for some reason she seems to be magnet for trouble. Gee, I wonder why is that so.
What kind of novel is it? Well, there is a love story but I don’t want to reveal any details. You probably gathered that the love story is not between the heroine and her husband, but as I don’t want to include any spoilers, I won’t reveal anything else. There were a quite a few credible minor characters and that made the novel so much better. I loved the way Josee’s mother-in-law and her boss seemed like well-rounded characters whose actions made perfect sense.
The plot was at times predictable, but so much that I was actually left confused and uncertain, so perhaps that’s another way to keep the reader’s interest. I will say that I feel there was more to this novel that the story. Lost Profile seems to speak about love on so many levels. It speaks (both directly and indirectly) about abuse, jealousy, love, friendship and social life. Often it speaks about these themes with a casualty that somehow doesn’t exclude profoundness. That’s the best way I can describe it. In a very French way, Sagan seems to say a lot with few words. I don’t really care that much about the pacing, the plot or even the credibility of this novel, I was left satisfied with those leisure sentences that seemed to reveal so much.
Is Lost Profile also a tale of obsession? Perhaps it is, but in more ways than one. I would say that it is first and foremost a story about love. I was surprised to see that love actually plays an important part (especially after the bitter start to the novel), but I still wouldn’t call it a typical romance novel. I feel like there are two ways to read this novel. If you’re going to focus only on the plot and the events, the chance is that you’re going to miss out on a lot.
What I will take from this novel are not so much the characters and the events, but the complexity of the seemingly simple Sagan’s writing. The story just seems to flow in a way that is as effortless as Parisian chic. It is very easy to read, but it is still the kind of book that stays with you, if you know what I mean. I think the strength of Sagan’s works is always in the philosophical undertones. What is significant is perhaps not so much the story and the characters, but what they could symbolize. To sum it all up, Sagan is a wonderfully intelligent and subtle writer and this novel was a fascinating and enjoyable read.
March 1, 2015
Toliko mi je pasala da sam ju procitala u par sati.
Lijepi stil, zanimljivo izrazavanje o osjecajima i musko zenskim odnosima.
"Prosli smo kroz zivot jedno drugome putovima koji se nikada nisu sastali, i ostali medjusobno potpuno tudji. Nikad se nismo vidjeli drugacije nego iz profila i nikad se nismo voljeli....Kad vrijeme jednom izvrsi svoju uobicajenu selekciju u mome sjecanju, pamtiti samo onaj sijedi cuperak kose...i cuti njegov nesiguran i umoran glas koji mi je govrio:"...jer otkad poznajem vas, ja se vise ne dosadjujem."
Lijepi stil, zanimljivo izrazavanje o osjecajima i musko zenskim odnosima.
"Prosli smo kroz zivot jedno drugome putovima koji se nikada nisu sastali, i ostali medjusobno potpuno tudji. Nikad se nismo vidjeli drugacije nego iz profila i nikad se nismo voljeli....Kad vrijeme jednom izvrsi svoju uobicajenu selekciju u mome sjecanju, pamtiti samo onaj sijedi cuperak kose...i cuti njegov nesiguran i umoran glas koji mi je govrio:"...jer otkad poznajem vas, ja se vise ne dosadjujem."
September 29, 2023
This is my third novel I've read by one of the most talented French writers of all time. Her book Bonjour Tristesse grabbed my attention and I've been reading her since.
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This book covers the life of a woman who goes through an abusive relationship with two men both filled with jealousy as she constantly battles to find love. A beautifully written novel with a dramatic ending.
.
4/5
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This book covers the life of a woman who goes through an abusive relationship with two men both filled with jealousy as she constantly battles to find love. A beautifully written novel with a dramatic ending.
.
4/5
August 21, 2012
Françoise Sagan never disappoints or surprises. You always know you'll find a melancholic young woman of innocence and darkness at the same time, a manipulative older man and a final wonderful partner. She has interesting perspective of classes and of people, but there's a certain lack of clarity too. All in all - always fun to read.
February 19, 2017
Atmintis apdairiai linkusi šį tą užmiršti, o gal mes tik naiviai viską susikuriame iš naujo.
August 23, 2024
No plot just vibes fast det fanns en plot, den var bara ganska förutsägbar. Med det sagt – otrolig prosa och otroliga vibes. Paris, flotta middagar, stora hus på landsbygden, New York, gamla pengar, nya pengar, avundsjuka, kärlek och galenskap.
"Paris var lysande fagert denna första vårkväll. De blå och gyllne fasaderna var lika ogripbara som ljuset. Broarna var liksom upphängda, monumenten svävade och fotgängarna hade vingar. I min upprymda sinnesstämning gick jag in i en blomsteraffär och en basset rusade skällande mot mig. Det verkade som att han var ensam där inne. Ingen kom och efter en stund började jag fråga hunden vad tulpanerna och rosorna kostade."
"Paris var lysande fagert denna första vårkväll. De blå och gyllne fasaderna var lika ogripbara som ljuset. Broarna var liksom upphängda, monumenten svävade och fotgängarna hade vingar. I min upprymda sinnesstämning gick jag in i en blomsteraffär och en basset rusade skällande mot mig. Det verkade som att han var ensam där inne. Ingen kom och efter en stund började jag fråga hunden vad tulpanerna och rosorna kostade."
November 5, 2025
Sagan mi fa sentire bene, leggera, contenta, grata. Mi emoziona e mi rilassa, con lei mi sento a casa. E assurdo come i suoi romanzi non abbiamo chissà quali trame articolate ma riescano comunque a trascinare il lettore. Io non mi stacco da lei. È il terzo libro consecutivo che leggo.
Credo che il suo più grande pregio è farmi sentire compresa e al sicuro. Ha questo abilità di raccontare il pensiero femminile in modo così semplice ma così vero che considero unica.
Mi travolge.
In questo libro, seguiamo la storia di Josè, una ragazza sposata che non ama più suo marito, che rifugge la sua mania ossessiva di controllo, la sua gelosia e la sua possessione e si lascia aiutare da Julius A. Cram, un ricco uomo d’affari che la aiuta a ricostruirsi una vita.
La protagonista ha il terrore che anche quest’uomo voglia rinchiuderla e difende quotidianamente la sua libertà ed indipendenza appena costruite. Si sente spaesata, l’unica certezza nella sua vita era sempre stata Alan (il marito), non sa di chi può fidarsi, eppure non si lascia intimorire e, forte della sua audacia e della sua intraprendenza, continua la sua vita da donna libera.
Sagan con semplicità e in poche righe dà voce alla mente malata e possessiva con estrema bravura. Alcune frasi pronunciate da Alan sono inquietanti e suggestive allo stesso momento “per quindici giorni ti ho avuta tutta per me…ma 15 giorni dopo ti eri già fatta degli amici tra pescatori, clienti o i camerieri dei caffè e bisognava ripartire”.
Una protagonista un po’ ingenua ma che alla fine riesce a far valere se stessa e a trovare ciò che merita e la rende felice. Un finale ottimista, nonostante tutto.
Credo che il suo più grande pregio è farmi sentire compresa e al sicuro. Ha questo abilità di raccontare il pensiero femminile in modo così semplice ma così vero che considero unica.
Mi travolge.
In questo libro, seguiamo la storia di Josè, una ragazza sposata che non ama più suo marito, che rifugge la sua mania ossessiva di controllo, la sua gelosia e la sua possessione e si lascia aiutare da Julius A. Cram, un ricco uomo d’affari che la aiuta a ricostruirsi una vita.
La protagonista ha il terrore che anche quest’uomo voglia rinchiuderla e difende quotidianamente la sua libertà ed indipendenza appena costruite. Si sente spaesata, l’unica certezza nella sua vita era sempre stata Alan (il marito), non sa di chi può fidarsi, eppure non si lascia intimorire e, forte della sua audacia e della sua intraprendenza, continua la sua vita da donna libera.
Sagan con semplicità e in poche righe dà voce alla mente malata e possessiva con estrema bravura. Alcune frasi pronunciate da Alan sono inquietanti e suggestive allo stesso momento “per quindici giorni ti ho avuta tutta per me…ma 15 giorni dopo ti eri già fatta degli amici tra pescatori, clienti o i camerieri dei caffè e bisognava ripartire”.
Una protagonista un po’ ingenua ma che alla fine riesce a far valere se stessa e a trovare ciò che merita e la rende felice. Un finale ottimista, nonostante tutto.
April 25, 2010
Having recently read Sagan's classic 'Bonjour Tristesse' I was curious to know if her writing style had changed since her remarkable debut at just eighteen years of age.
Published when Sagan was approaching 40, Lost Profile's heroine Josee Ash is ironically considerably more naive than
Bonjour Tristesse's Cecile and, unfortunately for the reader, less insightful. However, the subtly crafted plot is largely concerned with the young Josee's financial sponsorship by the unrelated yet paternal Julius A. Cram and plays speculation on his true motives for such attentions. Just why a middle-aged, successful businessman invests so much time and money in a care-free, attractive young divorcee is not always down to the obvious reasons; or is it?
Published when Sagan was approaching 40, Lost Profile's heroine Josee Ash is ironically considerably more naive than
Bonjour Tristesse's Cecile and, unfortunately for the reader, less insightful. However, the subtly crafted plot is largely concerned with the young Josee's financial sponsorship by the unrelated yet paternal Julius A. Cram and plays speculation on his true motives for such attentions. Just why a middle-aged, successful businessman invests so much time and money in a care-free, attractive young divorcee is not always down to the obvious reasons; or is it?
May 21, 2023
Josee Ash is trapped in her marriage with the pathologically jealous Alan. Trapped as in: he won't let her leave the apartment; she has no job and no other place to go. But then the American millionaire Julius A. Cram, whom the couple had met casually at a dinner party, intervenes, and with the help of his hefty chauffeur, physically marches Josee out of the claustrophobic apartment.
Julius has taken an interest in our passive heroine, and within 48 h she has both a job and a new studio. Nothing is asked in return for these services, and Josee gratefully accepts the many invitations for dinners, shows, concerts that come her way via Julius. When Alan is hospitalized in New York, Josee flies over to see him, and realizes that he's still as manipulative as ever. Julius proposes a restoring week in Nassau, and that's the first time that Josee begins to wonder about her wonderful, altruistic friend.
And then Josee meets a young man her own age, a country veterinarian, and falls in love. And to her surprise (but not the reader's), it is revealed that Julius has been paying for both her apartment and her salary, biding his time until Josee would agree to marry him.
I wouldn't say this is one of Francoise Sagan's best. Julius A. Cram is a caricature of the quietly powerful American, the self-made man who is fascinated by French culture. The romance between Josee and her veterinarian is romance-novel type stuff. And one has to wonder about a woman who manages to become the object of an unhealthy obsession of two rich men in sequence. Josee is in many ways a typical Sagan heroine : upper-middle class, attractive but not super-young, entangled with several men, going about in Le Tout Paris yet secretly bored and disgusted by the social posturing and superficiality of that milieu. But still I enjoyed the book, probably because I just enjoyed reading about how that layer of society lived in 1974 : lots of dinners and evening entertainments, jet-setting back and forth across the pond, cigarettes and bouquets and tearooms.
Julius has taken an interest in our passive heroine, and within 48 h she has both a job and a new studio. Nothing is asked in return for these services, and Josee gratefully accepts the many invitations for dinners, shows, concerts that come her way via Julius. When Alan is hospitalized in New York, Josee flies over to see him, and realizes that he's still as manipulative as ever. Julius proposes a restoring week in Nassau, and that's the first time that Josee begins to wonder about her wonderful, altruistic friend.
And then Josee meets a young man her own age, a country veterinarian, and falls in love. And to her surprise (but not the reader's), it is revealed that Julius has been paying for both her apartment and her salary, biding his time until Josee would agree to marry him.
I wouldn't say this is one of Francoise Sagan's best. Julius A. Cram is a caricature of the quietly powerful American, the self-made man who is fascinated by French culture. The romance between Josee and her veterinarian is romance-novel type stuff. And one has to wonder about a woman who manages to become the object of an unhealthy obsession of two rich men in sequence. Josee is in many ways a typical Sagan heroine : upper-middle class, attractive but not super-young, entangled with several men, going about in Le Tout Paris yet secretly bored and disgusted by the social posturing and superficiality of that milieu. But still I enjoyed the book, probably because I just enjoyed reading about how that layer of society lived in 1974 : lots of dinners and evening entertainments, jet-setting back and forth across the pond, cigarettes and bouquets and tearooms.
Read
May 5, 2024Didn’t like it. Abuse, codependency, privilege, patriarchy, etc. I liked Sagan’s other books but after this one I will probably part way with her works. Too much laziness, money, and privilege of the wealthy French bourgeoisie than I could possibly digest.
May 27, 2023
françoise sagan, je vous adore
December 4, 2022
I bought this book on a whim at an auction for the equivalent of $1, goaded by the memory of how I enjoyed Bonjour Tristesse what now seems a lifetime ago. I swallowed the book in short but enjoyable intervals while I nursed my baby. A kind of almost guilty pleasure for me, stacked among books about parenting and somehow always making it to the top of the stack. Books about "fallen", misunderstood women always catch, and usually keep, my attention.
Well written – I wouldn't expect anything less from Sagan – stylish, authentic, bold in its voice. And yet, I couldn't help but notice cracks in its cool, self-assured exterior. Her protagonist, a woman spoiled to the point of offensive carelessness, as indolent, self-absorbed and irresponsible as you can get while retaining enough self-awareness to narrate in the first person, she's blase enough to know it and not care, which is delightful material in itself, but I think Sagan wasted it.
Her heroine's pretense at independence, her cockiness, her alleged contempt of the falsity of Parisian society, reveal in the end a woman entirely dependent, insecure and false. But it seems Sagan herself was not aware of this. There is no growth, no true insight gained by this character. I was disappointed by the end with how weak she made her. And to what end? I have no idea.
She has almost no will of her own, only wilfulness – her agency consists of merely indulging her urges and whims. All the action is left to others – men, or women defeminized to the point of automatons. And of all of this, still – no discernible awareness. She is a victim of an abusive husband, seeking a savior in an equally controlling man – a recipe for disaster. But in the end, she is again "saved" by a man (and her ex-husband's money), preceded by no awareness on her part, yanked out of her jaded complacency by the agency of other people. Pretty sad, really, but this sadness is not acknowledged.
Instead, we are given a smug happy-end that feels like a cheat, considering a person like this wouldn't do nearly as well when finally faced with reality. But Sagan never allows her to. And that's the beef I have with this book. It ends with our protagonist falling into the arms of yet another man, and with no insights about herself in between that would allow her not to make another tragic mistake.
I like to imagine her newest savior either turning out to be another control freak, rekindling his passion for gambling, or, if he's an actual good man, despising her for being so shallow, immature and unreliable. Now that would be a good ending. Then she could go off and have an epiphany. At the book's end, however, her self-awareness is displaced in her contempt of the person who, I think, could well be the real protagonist of the book – the tragic, pitiful Julius A. Cram. She used him, on the pretense of naivety and victimhood, and the book never acknowledges this. As repulsive as he is, he turns out to be more honest than her. Soooo much wasted potential there.
I prefer Erica Jong's "Fear of Flying", which came out the year before (in 1973), with an equally lost, immature, outwardly cocky yet deeply insecure protagonist, but told with an endearing honesty, and without the salvation fantasy.
Well written – I wouldn't expect anything less from Sagan – stylish, authentic, bold in its voice. And yet, I couldn't help but notice cracks in its cool, self-assured exterior. Her protagonist, a woman spoiled to the point of offensive carelessness, as indolent, self-absorbed and irresponsible as you can get while retaining enough self-awareness to narrate in the first person, she's blase enough to know it and not care, which is delightful material in itself, but I think Sagan wasted it.
Her heroine's pretense at independence, her cockiness, her alleged contempt of the falsity of Parisian society, reveal in the end a woman entirely dependent, insecure and false. But it seems Sagan herself was not aware of this. There is no growth, no true insight gained by this character. I was disappointed by the end with how weak she made her. And to what end? I have no idea.
She has almost no will of her own, only wilfulness – her agency consists of merely indulging her urges and whims. All the action is left to others – men, or women defeminized to the point of automatons. And of all of this, still – no discernible awareness. She is a victim of an abusive husband, seeking a savior in an equally controlling man – a recipe for disaster. But in the end, she is again "saved" by a man (and her ex-husband's money), preceded by no awareness on her part, yanked out of her jaded complacency by the agency of other people. Pretty sad, really, but this sadness is not acknowledged.
Instead, we are given a smug happy-end that feels like a cheat, considering a person like this wouldn't do nearly as well when finally faced with reality. But Sagan never allows her to. And that's the beef I have with this book. It ends with our protagonist falling into the arms of yet another man, and with no insights about herself in between that would allow her not to make another tragic mistake.
I like to imagine her newest savior either turning out to be another control freak, rekindling his passion for gambling, or, if he's an actual good man, despising her for being so shallow, immature and unreliable. Now that would be a good ending. Then she could go off and have an epiphany. At the book's end, however, her self-awareness is displaced in her contempt of the person who, I think, could well be the real protagonist of the book – the tragic, pitiful Julius A. Cram. She used him, on the pretense of naivety and victimhood, and the book never acknowledges this. As repulsive as he is, he turns out to be more honest than her. Soooo much wasted potential there.
I prefer Erica Jong's "Fear of Flying", which came out the year before (in 1973), with an equally lost, immature, outwardly cocky yet deeply insecure protagonist, but told with an endearing honesty, and without the salvation fantasy.
May 18, 2024
➣ 4.5
This was my third Sagan, and I adore her writing. Her female characters are, in a way, quite similar but all very different. They’re young women or (in “Bonjour Tristesse” or “A Certain Smile”) girls who are confronted with this chaotic and indeterminable thing called ‘love’.
This book is great for both lovers of plot AND character-driven books since Josée’s character grips you first, but her actions and story are what ultimately make you keep reading. She is in no way perfect and often makes wrong decisions, but in her situation, wouldn’t we all? She’s haunted by emotional turmoil due to her marriage (Alan, a deeply jealous man with whom she feels trapped).
A charming man, Julius, gives her the opportunity to break out of this marriage and become happy. Will she be happy with him? That’s for you to find out, but let me tell you one thing: if you like books about relationships, the chaotic Parisian flair, and messy women roaming the streets on their way to find happiness? Take this recommendation. 🫶
This was my third Sagan, and I adore her writing. Her female characters are, in a way, quite similar but all very different. They’re young women or (in “Bonjour Tristesse” or “A Certain Smile”) girls who are confronted with this chaotic and indeterminable thing called ‘love’.
This book is great for both lovers of plot AND character-driven books since Josée’s character grips you first, but her actions and story are what ultimately make you keep reading. She is in no way perfect and often makes wrong decisions, but in her situation, wouldn’t we all? She’s haunted by emotional turmoil due to her marriage (Alan, a deeply jealous man with whom she feels trapped).
A charming man, Julius, gives her the opportunity to break out of this marriage and become happy. Will she be happy with him? That’s for you to find out, but let me tell you one thing: if you like books about relationships, the chaotic Parisian flair, and messy women roaming the streets on their way to find happiness? Take this recommendation. 🫶
January 28, 2011
Le talent de Sagan est au rendez-vous mais cependant j'ai "senti" venir l'histoire, c'est légèrement trop fleur bleue pour moi, d'où les 2 étoiles seulement. Pour l'histoire, il s'agit d'une jeune femme qui vit une histoire d'amour passionnelle, s'enfuit, se retrouve sous la protection d'un riche ami et ne se rend pas compte que celui-ci profite de la situation. Pas le meilleur roman de l'auteur.
January 4, 2017
J'avais un peu peur au début de ce roman de Françoise Sagan de m'ennuyer en le lisant, d'aller au bout sans passion ni grand intérêt pour l'histoire de cette femme qui se sépare de son mari jaloux et possessif grâce à l'aide d'un richissime homme d'affaires qui la prend sous son aile. Mais j'ai été finalement pris par le récit et ce portrait des mondains parisiens qui s'ennuient atrocement. Un très beau roman, finalement.
September 25, 2020
Στο γνωστό πάντα αφηγηματικό της στυλ γραφής, η Φρανσουάζ Σαγκάν γράφει πάλι για τα αγαπημένα της θέματα: τον έρωτα, την ανεξαρτησία και την εξάρτηση των ανθρώπινων σχέσεων, την γελοιότητα της μπουρζουαζίας. Δεν είναι τυχαίο το γεγονός ότι τόσα πολλά χρόνια μετά την πρώτη έκδοση των βιβλίων της, αυτά διαβάζονται ακόμα με ενδιαφέρον.
January 22, 2012
I like the style of Sagan. I read all of her books with pleasure. This was anotherone that left me a nice feeling and enjoyment. Very beautiful written and at the same time simple book. Bun it is not my favourite book by her.
March 19, 2014
Je découvre Sagan par la petite porte. Un style simple et agréable, précis.
1974 à Paris, la fin violente d'un amour conduit une femme naïve au cœur des plans d'un business man calculateur.
"Parce que depuis que je vous connais, moi, je ne m'ennuie plus".
1974 à Paris, la fin violente d'un amour conduit une femme naïve au cœur des plans d'un business man calculateur.
"Parce que depuis que je vous connais, moi, je ne m'ennuie plus".
January 3, 2015
J'adore le style, la fluidité. On dirait que Sagan nous raconte cette histoire à l'oreille, comme un conte. On peut ne lire que la jolie histoire un peu "fleur-bleue" ou laisser son imagination supputer chaque stratagème de M. Cram. J'ai beaucoup aimé ca!
June 19, 2017
The third in the "Josée" series (Those Without Shadows, The Wonderful Clouds, then this). Like all Sagan: thoughtful, beautiful, understated, deep, real... Just love her. I will read all her books one day.
February 25, 2011
One of the most enjoyable books I have ever read.
August 29, 2021
The story starts when Josee(main character) is in a party in Paris with her handsome but obsessive husband Allan. Later on she was saved by a stranger. After being rescued from the said relationship, her life started to change for the better or did it?
The story is predictable but the style of writing is so fluid that I devour this book in a short time. (Well its also kind of short.) Sagan's writing is very lyrical you will run out of highlighter. Also we need to give credit to the one who translated it. Good thing I didn't judge this book by its cover.
I highly recommend it to everyone.
The story is predictable but the style of writing is so fluid that I devour this book in a short time. (Well its also kind of short.) Sagan's writing is very lyrical you will run out of highlighter. Also we need to give credit to the one who translated it. Good thing I didn't judge this book by its cover.
I highly recommend it to everyone.
May 9, 2022
Αυτό είναι το πρώτο βιβλίο της Σαγκάν που διάβασα. Μου άρεσε πολύ ο τρόπος που έγραφε δείχνοντας το ταξίδι που πέρασε προσπαθώντας να ξεφύγει από έναν άσχημο γάμο. Είναι σκέψεις μιας γυναίκας που βρίσκει τον εαυτό της εξαρτώμενη από έναν δεύτερο άντρα ξανά, τον σωτήρα και προστάτη της που μετατρέπεται σε τύραννο. Επαναλαμβάνει την ιστορία της βρισκόμενη πλάι σε έναν τέτοιο άντρα αλλά καταφέρνει να βρει έναν πραγματικό έρωτα. Ένα ρομαντικό και ανά μέρη λυπηρό βιβλίο για τη ζωή μιας γυναίκας στο Παρίσι.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2023
Los personajes son interesantes. El inicio es cautivador. Comienza pisando muy fuerte con cróticas geniales a un mundo de derroche u vacio.
Hasta llegar casi al final. Ahí todo se va cuesta abajo.
Los villanos que pudieron ser geniales auedan en nada. La crítíca termina en un sin sentido. La protagonista sufre del síndrome "todo hombre que me ve cae rendído a mis pies" y desde ese punto se torna algo vacía y aburre. Finalmente el protagonista tiene un final abrupto y extraño. El cierre del libro se siente apresurado y algo típico.
Hasta llegar casi al final. Ahí todo se va cuesta abajo.
Los villanos que pudieron ser geniales auedan en nada. La crítíca termina en un sin sentido. La protagonista sufre del síndrome "todo hombre que me ve cae rendído a mis pies" y desde ese punto se torna algo vacía y aburre. Finalmente el protagonista tiene un final abrupto y extraño. El cierre del libro se siente apresurado y algo típico.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2023
This was yet another fun, thoughtful and beautifully mature-naive book from Sagan.
The main character is unapologetically herself. Yes, at times she seems to play a victim, but she simultaneously owns up to her own role in the situation. Yes, she is entitled, but she embraces the reality that that kushness is no longer extended to her and she has to step into a new story. I love that she confidently stated that she fully enjoys doing nothing (in societal terms) and will not be guilted into feeling otherwise by the masses.
Quick, enjoyable read that is not too “fluffy”.
The main character is unapologetically herself. Yes, at times she seems to play a victim, but she simultaneously owns up to her own role in the situation. Yes, she is entitled, but she embraces the reality that that kushness is no longer extended to her and she has to step into a new story. I love that she confidently stated that she fully enjoys doing nothing (in societal terms) and will not be guilted into feeling otherwise by the masses.
Quick, enjoyable read that is not too “fluffy”.
October 10, 2020
La Belle et La Bete, Cendrillon: Mlle Sagan enjoys reviving fairy tales, repackaged in Paris. Magic carpet rides. Such freedom in youth. Witty, superficial, tinge of philosophy, yet the ending trailed on, and I wondered was Louis another “baddie” man that will become Josee’s next handler, will it be next revealed after another session of J’ai Lu?
June 2, 2024
Very enjoyable in Sagan's 'couldn't-be-anything-but-French' way. I love her writing but was a bit disappointed with the main character's naivety and failure to learn - and with the total disappearance of a character I was expecting to play a much bigger role. Interesting though and an ideal read in the June sun.
January 1, 2025
I don’t recall who or what review recommended this book to me. I’m a Francophile, so that may have been enough reason for me to put it on my list. It was a quick read, with conversational writing. It took me a while to get attached, but by the time I finished, I did care about the protagonist who was also the narrator. Saying more would spoil the plot for you.
March 13, 2021
My first Sagan ..... the writing style (in translation) is so modern yet the content and characters seem dated.
Then I have to remind myself of sugar babies and the popularity of 50 Shades of Grey - and realise perhaps the plot and the tropes are simply timeless.
Then I have to remind myself of sugar babies and the popularity of 50 Shades of Grey - and realise perhaps the plot and the tropes are simply timeless.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews