First Novel

by Mazarine Pingeot

Set in London and Paris, this novel covers two months in the life of Agathe, who, with her boyfriend Victor, forms the nucleus of a bohemian intellectual elite that believes anything is possible. That is, until reality shatters their principles.

Genres: Fiction

276 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1998

Reviews

[Cécile · Rating 2 out of 5]

Je me suis tellement ennuyée que pour la première fois de ma vie j’ai lu les 50 dernières pages en sautant des paragraphes voire des pages entières. Comme je m’y attendais j’ai tout de même parfaitement saisi l’action, je me suis juste épargnée de longs détails inutiles ponctués de mille points virgule.

[Alex Sarll]

When I pick up a book I've had for 20+ years and am carried away, it justifies the state of my shelves, but then there are the sadder times it proves to have been waiting around for nothing. Even when I picked this up, remaindered, it was clear that its voice of a generation claims were overstated, but I thought from this distance it might at least offer the scent of happier times. And I suppose it does, faintly, but mainly I was reminded of other, better books about French people with mildly unconventional relationships.

[Jo Dejonckheere · Rating 2 out of 5]

"En in zijn werk was hij op zoek naar het boek dat een combinatie zou zijn van het esthetische waar hij verliefd op was en datgene wat hij wilde prijsgeven van zijn visie op de wereld."
Deze quote slaat precies ook op de schrijfster.
Ze wil te politiek correct zijn, te progressief correct , legt een te sterke nadruk op "do it your way", lardeert het geheel met kunstenaars en ander esthetisch verantwoorde uitspraken. En hoewel de schrijfstijl goed is, en er ook wel aandacht is voor de psychologie van de personages, verdrinkt het geheel in de goede bedoelingen. En zijn er teveel lichte variaties op steeds dezelfde thema's, en eindigt het boek bovendien nog eens in pathetiek.
Not really my cup of tea.

[Genevieve · Rating 2 out of 5]

ummmm, not at all what i expected. don't think i enjoyed it all that much to be honest. It felt very forced, the woman felt like she was on a pedestal for being the perfect elusive woman. Beautiful, sexy, clever, but quiet about it, not many healthy relationships with women, ones with men were mostly based on waiting for the release of sexual tension. The guy was also perfect, but like not because he was living in her shadow so it's like sad and then his affair with Suzanna is ok, because in a way he is getting back at her. Which isn't exactly what happens, but it feels like it is.

[Lorri Steinbacher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this after reading The Margot Affair. Very French in style and content. I loved the writing and enjoyed the characters, didn't really work for me as a narrative, but worth it for the tone.

[Sharon Derammelaere · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ik las je. Doorheen alle karakters tot de essentie van jouw liefde. Veel beterschap. Je 'leester'

[Daphne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ωραίοι χαρακτήρες, περίπλοκοι, μοναδικοί.

[Simon Bate · Rating 2 out of 5]

yeah, reads like a first novel.....

[Vassiliadi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Τόση συζήτηση κ τόσα αποθεωτικα Σχόλια για ένα μέτριο μυθιστόρημα.