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Un chagrin de passage

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Cancer des poumons...
Le médecin est formel. Dans six mois, Matthieu Cazavel - quarante ans, architecte - sera mort et enterré... Cruauté suprême, septembre a aujourd'hui des allures estivales et Paris resplendit. Dès cet instant, Matthieu décide de démêler l'écheveau de sa vie. Aussi se tourne-t-il naturellement vers les femmes qui ont " peuplé" son existence : Sonia, sa ravissante et stupide maîtresse Hélène, l'épouse dont il s'est éloigné depuis longtemps; Mathilde, la seule femme qu'il ait vraiment aimée et qui pourra peut-être modifier la piètre image qu'il a soudain de lui-même...

220 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 30, 1994

11 people are currently reading
371 people want to read

About the author

Françoise Sagan

251 books1,669 followers
Born 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.

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5 stars
83 (15%)
4 stars
157 (29%)
3 stars
186 (35%)
2 stars
88 (16%)
1 star
14 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
Profile Image for Konserve Ruhlar.
302 reviews195 followers
February 4, 2019
Sabah doktorundan birkaç ay içinde öleceğini öğrenen bir adamın öyküsü. Güne bu yıkıcı haberle başlıyor ve kabullenme, başkaları ile paylaşma, bundan sonra ne yapacağını düşünme aşamalarıyla ilerliyor hikaye.
Aslında kitabın felsefesi anlatmak istediğinden (ya da çeviri üzerine de şüphelerim var ) daha derin. Böyle bir haber alan bir insanın nasıl tepki verdiği, haberin çevresini ve geri kalan hayatını nasıl etkileyeceği üzerine kurgulanmış. Ama karakter çok fazla konuşuyor ve düşünüyor. Ve bu düşünceler sürekli aynı cümlelere hapsedilmiş gibiydi metinde. Bu durum da maalesef okumayı sıkıcı bir tona dönüştürüyor. Elbette ölmek üzere olan bir adamın hikayesi kimseye çekici gelmeyebilir. Ama biraz da nasıl anlatıldığının, nasıl bir dil kullanıldığının farkı eseri eşsiz bir yere taşıyabilirdi. Ne yazık ki benim için öyle olmadı.
Okurken sık sık Agnes Varda’nın Cleo’sunu ve Amy Redford’un The Guitar (2008) filmlerini düşündüm. Günübirlik Acı’nın Matthieu’su erkek karakter olarak nasıl bir oyuncu olurdu diye düşünmeden edemedim.
Profile Image for Aviendha.
318 reviews18 followers
June 17, 2021
Kapağını kapattığınız an ben ne okudum şimdi dediğiniz kitaplardan. Bir yolculuk için ideal ancak anlam çıkartmak, içe dokunan bir konu beklentisi için yetersiz. Öneri listemde yer almıyor.
Profile Image for Liana Sabău.
168 reviews47 followers
September 13, 2020
,,În orice caz de un lucru era sigur în ce privește viitorul lui: trebuia să refuze trecutul. Nu trebuia nicicum să replonjeze în ceea ce fusese viața lui, pentru că era viața unui alt om. Un om care nu se gândea deloc la moartea lui și cu atât mai puțin la data când se va produce. Un alt om. El trebuia să trăiască fără trecut, de vreme ce acest trecut n-ar mai fi existat, și fără viitor, de vreme ce nu-l mai avea. Trebuia să trăiască în prezent."
Profile Image for Tove.
52 reviews1 follower
February 8, 2015
As much as I love Sagan, this book felt sort of like a joke; far too long and complicated (and misogynistic) to carry such a weak punch line. I tire of Paul, I dislike him; as I understand it, that is the point. Thankfully, as always, we are surrounded by great women. Although Paul cannot seem to see any depth in them, I can.
Profile Image for Manon Clélia.
36 reviews3 followers
October 27, 2017
Donc en gros (car ce livre a agi de façon mauvaise en moi), c’est un type de quarante qui apprend qu’il va mourir. Il a un cancer des poumons, c’est moche, c’est pas de bol, c’est « bah merde alors » (c’est entre guillemets mais Sagan n’a pas dit ça, c’est moi). Donc voilà, c’est un gars de quarante qui va mourir… et c’est tout. Voilà. Il est un peu con, il est architecte, il a plein de maîtresses et monsieur veut être sûr d’être aimé avant de partir. Bah tiens.
DONC voilà :
Une écriture fluide au début, poussive ensuite.
Un personnage exécrable, inutile pour lui même. (Pareil pour les maîtresses que je ne supporte pas !!!! oh bah mon pauvre chéri!!! image de la femme bof bof)
Des répétitions, des pages de répétitions, les mêmes remarques, les mêmes questions, BORDEL.
220 pages pour UNE SEULE journée. NON MAIS NON !
Des longueurs pas possibles.
Aucun message clair.
Une fin en queue de poisson que j’ai trouvée absolument nulle, aberrante.
Je m'attendais à un livre profond, qui pose de vraies questions, qui me fasse réfléchir et qui élargirait ma manière de voir une sorte de "condamnation" ... bah non.
Première expérience avec Sagan. Et je n’ai pas aimé. J’étais contente au début puis après, piouuuuuu, parti ! Plus rien ! Trop de rien ! Un Monsieur Bovary qui s’emmerde et qui n’est pas content parce que monsieur a un cancer et qu’en plus il fume, qui raconte sa vie qui nous emmerde et nous fait bailler.
Voilà.
Suivant.
Profile Image for Henry.
69 reviews6 followers
July 29, 2012
I thought the translation just ruined the book, with such outdated and cliched phrases, but maybe since the character was such a shallow man, maybe it was intentional.

The plot is rather thin too,

What I don't understand: how does a mediocre architect afford a wife and a mistress, and still have
enough money to think of supporting his old flame who consoles him in the end?
The book has a kind of O Henry ending though I did anticipate it.
Profile Image for Rui.
153 reviews
November 4, 2021
Sinceramente, não adorei. O plot tinha muito potencial, mas acabou por não haver grande desenvolvimento do protagonista. E as últimas páginas desiludiram-me profundamente, achei muito forçado e que deitou por terra as reflexões anteriores.
Profile Image for Mehmet Kır.
411 reviews14 followers
August 1, 2018
Yazarın kitap içinde yaptığı bazı betimlemelerini başarılı bulsam da kitaptan pek tat alamadığımı söylemek isterim. Bunun sebebi tahminen kitabın çevirisinden kaynaklı.
Profile Image for Murat.
609 reviews
November 19, 2021
Hoş Geldin Hüzün den sonra Françoise Sagan'dan okuduğum ikinci kitap bu ve çok daha fazlasını okumak istiyorum. Eserler her yönden mükemmel olduklarından değil. Hatta genellikle tahmin edilebilir bir akış ve sona sahip kitaplar.. Ama zaten kurgu ya da hikaye için değil; duyumsamalar, hissedişler ve düşünüşler için okunmalı Sagan.

Her iki kitapta da beni mest eden; ana karakterlerin anların yoğunluğunu hakkıyla yaşayamayacak derecede kendilerine dışarıdan bakabilmeleri.. Ve anı kavrayabildiklerindeki boşalma ve aydınlanma anları. ve hüzünleri, halinden memnun olmayan umursamazlıkları, kendilerini dikkatlice ve acımasızca tahlil etmeleri..

Daha fazla Sagan okuyacağım..

Profile Image for Blanche.
22 reviews2 followers
March 1, 2025
pas terrible terrible, assez ennuyant
Profile Image for Victor Morosoff.
377 reviews116 followers
January 4, 2015
Ce livre m'a rappelé un peu de l'univers modianesque qui, en ce moment, m'est beaucoup plus familier. Il apporte la nostalgie spécifique au lauréat de Nobel de Litterature 2014, même s'il manque sa douceur, les regards mysterieux, les lieux ténébreux où on se retrouve en lisant, le charme d'antan, d'un temps perdu. Au contraire, pour Sagan, les choses sont plus claires et directes; et, pourtant, son protagoniste cherche toujours: ses amours lointains, sa vie d'avant. Le rythme de l'action semble plus alerte et bien que l'on soit plus concentré aux événements qu'aux personnages eux-mêmes, il reste encore la magie entourant Paris chaque après-midi d'automne, au Luxembourg et non seulement (le moment passé là est, d'ailleurs, assez significatif). Pour un admirateur de Sagan, une lecture obligatoire.
2 reviews
June 20, 2025
¡Qué gran libro! Es la primera vez que leo a Françoise Sagan y me sorprende la obra maestra que acabo de leer. De principio a fin, la autora logra plasmar a la perfección la mente humana en una eventualidad tan trágica como la noticia de cancer de pulmón y 6 meses de vida.
La forma en la que poco a poco vas descubriendo parte de la vida de Mathieu (protagonista), tanto el presente como el pasado, así como sus ideales te hace sentir empatía, rencor y ese sentido de indiferencia ante la vida o la falta de esta. Es un excelente libro que ampliamente recomiendo y espero en algún punto poder encontrarme con más obras de Françoise Sagan.
9 reviews
April 29, 2025
It really was just ok. After having read the plot, I knew this book wasn't going to be one of my favourites, but I wanted to give it a chance anyway, since I love Sagan's writing. I honestly found it quite hard to finish, despite the fact it's so short. I felt like I was kind of reading nothing. Like not much happened, and not much was said. I felt like Matthieu was just having the same thoughts over and over again, written in slightly different words each time. The ending did make me laugh though.
Profile Image for Joe Cloyd.
58 reviews7 followers
April 30, 2020
I never came across anything by Françoise Sagan before, but I thoroughly enjoyed “Fleeting Sorrow.” It’s a novel that takes place in one day—the day when Paul Cazavel learns that he has lung cancer and only 6 months to live. Sagan’s prose flows, and while some the protagonist’s actions and reactions seem weird, they are nonetheless believable and relatable. I ordered Sagan’s early novel, “Bonjour, Tristesse,” and look forward to reading it soon.
Profile Image for Alex .
8 reviews
September 24, 2024
Alors déjà je spoil pas mais la fin Vsy c’est nul ensuite déjà comme j’ai pu lire l’image de la femme est bof et bah celle de l’homme aussi parce que la scène où il regarde son membre ct trop bizarre comment c’était décrit
L’histoire était pas très interessante et dans exactement le même style je conseille cleo de 5 à 7 de Varda qui est la même histoire mais en mieux
Profile Image for Aynur Aslanova.
351 reviews31 followers
February 16, 2022
Ölümcül hastalığının olduğunu öğrenmek bazı insanlarda hayatında büyük değişimlere gitmeye neden olur. Bazen bu değişimler hastalığın çaresi olur, bazen de tek çare ve mutluluk yalnız kalıp kendini dinlemektir.
16 reviews
March 17, 2025
J’ai aimé le point de vue de l’auteur, le cynisme non dissimulé envers ses personnages. On lit une fable qui nous montre que même la peur et l’urgence de la fin ne guérit pas la puérilité. À lire si on aime sourire en coin.
Profile Image for v.
517 reviews
September 7, 2020
plot, pacing// plot, characters, development

it’s just about a guy slowly dying while he connects with his many lovers while being married.... not for me
Profile Image for Laia Guillamon.
87 reviews11 followers
July 10, 2023
Brillant. Com converteix tots els matisos d'un sol dia en una novel·la... I justament amb el final que necessitava. Adoro a la Sagan, definitivament.
Profile Image for kris.
123 reviews
August 13, 2024
reading this on a sunny summer day was a mistake... the ending had me impressed so it's slayyy
5 reviews1 follower
Read
September 25, 2025
okay it did get the mediocre man down pretty well but who wants to read 127 pages on the mediocre man in english
Profile Image for Billie Schøne-Saxegaard.
33 reviews2 followers
January 5, 2026
Gud for en deilig start på leseåret. Få slår Sagan!

Den ble for ordens skyld lest på norsk men Goodreads er litt vrang 👍
Profile Image for Nassim Achahboune.
4 reviews
November 4, 2022
A short book narrates a man called Paul Cazavel who has been diagnosed with lung cancer.
The plot is not what makes the book enjoyable because a story like that is not original, but the existential crisis that Paul had to deal with.
The main character isn't interesting at all, a typical playboy that thinks the world turns around him, even when he is wrong he would argue that he is right.

In his journey of self-reflection, he started revising his whole life and rethinking all of his past mistakes, and how his life would have been if he hadn't done them.
His assumptions about his so-called friends are all false, they want the best for him but he focuses only on the negative.

the worst part about the book, other than the length, is the end. It was easily predictable.
In summary, fleeing sorrow is decent, and only If you are looking for a book with the main theme is an existential crisis. Otherwise, there are plenty of other books waiting for you.
Profile Image for Bruno.
302 reviews17 followers
September 2, 2019
During the week I'm going to review few of the novels that I've read from Sagan (5 out of 10), starting with this one. It may feel disorientated, since this is a little departure from her earlier works, which emphasizes female characters and their dilemmas between two kinds of love. It mostly focuses on a new view towards the life, giving the fact that the main protagonist has only six months left. This gives him an opportunity to contemplate his relationships with various peoples, which includes his friend, wife, lover and a few passers. Through conversations, he feel's overjoy and appreciation for a chance to be better. This is a book that teaches us to be grateful and not to take everything for granted. Sometimes we need a pause, so we could make a new planes for a new day or just to take a rest from our daily routine. If we can see, hear and smell and be aware of it, than we will always find something or someone that makes us happy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews

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