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Moderato cantabile, de Marguerite Duras
Un coup de crayon sur le clavier... La sonatine de Diabelli... Un cri de femme retentit... Mon amour. Mon amour... Un verre de vin... Une sirène retentit... Il l’a visée au cœur comme elle le lui demandait... Parlez-moi... Une fleur blanche de magnolia... Les troènes crient... Inventez... Jamais vous n’avez crié... Un canard mort dans son linceul d’orange... Le désordre blond de ses cheveux... Le même rite mortuaire... Je voudrais que vous soyez morte.
120 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 1979
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 8, 2025
Seesawing between brilliance and boredom
After many years, I finally re-read one of the novels I studied in French back in my college days.
The story opens in a room where the protagonist’s son obstinately refuses to remember a musical term that his piano teacher has been trying to teach him. The interplay between the tension inside the room and the outside world is masterful as the reader’s attention is drawn towards the dramatic events outside- a murder that appears to be a crime of passion. This acts as the inciting moment of the story as the protagonist,
Anne Desbaresdes, is pulled back towards the scene of the crime, where she meets a man, Chauvin. Most of the succeeding chapters involve meetings between these two characters, as all the other characters then assume a secondary role.
Through her curiosity and interrogation of Chauvin about the crime, we learn that he is an ex-employee of her husband, that she lives in the better part of town, and that Chauvin knows a lot more about her life than he should. At the same time, their interest in the crime that was committed, especially the reasons behind the act, draw them together.
The ending is open, leaving the reader to imagine what transpires, which I found to be one of the book's weaknesses. As noted, some of the scenes were masterful, particularly the opening chapter and the dinner party, but the lack of action make the book ostentatiously intellectual and occasionally dull.
In truth, Duras is technically brilliant here, but perhaps too minimalist for my taste.
After many years, I finally re-read one of the novels I studied in French back in my college days.
The story opens in a room where the protagonist’s son obstinately refuses to remember a musical term that his piano teacher has been trying to teach him. The interplay between the tension inside the room and the outside world is masterful as the reader’s attention is drawn towards the dramatic events outside- a murder that appears to be a crime of passion. This acts as the inciting moment of the story as the protagonist,
Anne Desbaresdes, is pulled back towards the scene of the crime, where she meets a man, Chauvin. Most of the succeeding chapters involve meetings between these two characters, as all the other characters then assume a secondary role.
Through her curiosity and interrogation of Chauvin about the crime, we learn that he is an ex-employee of her husband, that she lives in the better part of town, and that Chauvin knows a lot more about her life than he should. At the same time, their interest in the crime that was committed, especially the reasons behind the act, draw them together.
The ending is open, leaving the reader to imagine what transpires, which I found to be one of the book's weaknesses. As noted, some of the scenes were masterful, particularly the opening chapter and the dinner party, but the lack of action make the book ostentatiously intellectual and occasionally dull.
In truth, Duras is technically brilliant here, but perhaps too minimalist for my taste.
September 24, 2024
Favorite book I’ve read recently. Kafka esque and dreamlike, so atmospheric, so succinct!! Loved it
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews