Je voyais la petite fille que tu avais dû être, ou que tu aurais été si l'on t'avait permis, alors, de faire des farces.
Assis derrière toi, je re...
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reviews
Apr 18, 2011
Lencza
rated it: 
Velmi objemný román (prý známé, co já vím?) francouzské autorky... román reflektující cosi jako "krizi středního věku" jednoho pařížského architekta. Román plný vzpomínek, román o vztazích, o přehodnocování toho, co je a co není v životě důležité; jak je a jak není dobré žít.
Autorka v průběhu psaní střídá několik různých stylů - zpočátku vypráví rychle, postupně děj ztrácí svůj spád a rozpíná se do šířky v popisných pasážích. Možná se podobně proměňuje i život hlavního hrdiny - o More...
Autorka v průběhu psaní střídá několik různých stylů - zpočátku vypráví rychle, postupně děj ztrácí svůj spád a rozpíná se do šířky v popisných pasážích. Možná se podobně proměňuje i život hlavního hrdiny - o More...
Nov 27, 2010
Laura
rated it:
Der Roman handelt von dem erfolgreichen Architekten Charles Balanda. Charles lebt eigentlich schon eine Weile nicht mehr richtig. Er funktioniert nur noch. Seine Frau und seine Stieftochter sind nur Randfiguren, weil er vielmehr mit Arbeiten beschäftigt ist. Eines Tages bekommt er einen Brief, der ihn vollkommen aus der Bahn wirft. In dem Brief stehen nur drei Worte: "Anouk ist tot.".
Charles holt die Vergangheit ein, er verliert sich in ihr und nur widerstrebend setzt er sich mit More...
Charles holt die Vergangheit ein, er verliert sich in ihr und nur widerstrebend setzt er sich mit More...
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Mar 31, 2009
Sandra
rated it: 
Worte hab ich nicht wirklich für dieses Buch. Es hat mir gefallen, sehr gut gefallen. Ich kann es nur weiterempfehlen, weiß aber nicht, ob es jedermanns Sache ist. Auch wenn es in den Bestsellerlisten ist, ich bezweifle, dass es jeder zu Ende liest. Ich konnte das Ende kaum erwarten, aber wollte es doch hinauszögern, weil es ein Vergnügen, ein Genuss war, dieses Buch zu lesen.
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Jun 05, 2011
Yannick
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this book is too slow. The story is basic but one moment you want to go foward in order to know what happened in her life with this woman.
Also the writting is complicated to follow. You have to remember perflectly each charactere, beause the author will jump from his childhood to his actual like to the time where he met his wife. It is messy, and when I read a book, I hate coming few pages back, in order to understaned what I am reading
Also the writting is complicated to follow. You have to remember perflectly each charactere, beause the author will jump from his childhood to his actual like to the time where he met his wife. It is messy, and when I read a book, I hate coming few pages back, in order to understaned what I am reading
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Aug 27, 2010
Solveig
rated it:
Alles Glück kommt nie - aber für Charles Balanda (Pariser Architekt, 47) geht es am Ende doch recht glücklich aus. Bis dahin werden viele schmerzliche Erinnerungen hervorgekramt, angedacht, fallen gelassen, neu aufgegriffen und schließlich verarbeitet.
Wenn ich mir die Rezensionen zu diesem Buch ansehe, wundere ich mich über die Eindeutigkeit des Urteils - entweder man liebt es oder man hasst es, so scheint es. Ich habe bis zur Seite 242 gebraucht, um einen Draht zu diesem Buch zu fin More...
Wenn ich mir die Rezensionen zu diesem Buch ansehe, wundere ich mich über die Eindeutigkeit des Urteils - entweder man liebt es oder man hasst es, so scheint es. Ich habe bis zur Seite 242 gebraucht, um einen Draht zu diesem Buch zu fin More...
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Feb 05, 2012
Christina
rated it:
Un mot pour définir ce livre : rebondissement. Un livre plein d'humanité, comme très souvent chez Anna Gavalda. Ce roman est fait d'inattendus et de surprises. Comment la vie d'un homme peut basculer, comment peut-il s'en relever. Il semble ordinaire, reconnu dans son métier par ses paires, en manque affectif mais il n'y prête guère attention. Il suffira d'une lettre pour tout bouleverser. On suit la vie de cet homme attachant, de sa vie d'avant à sa descente aux enfers, puis à sa renaissance av
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May 26, 2010
Veronica
rated it:
OK, I can't go on reading this. It's just dire. I didn't expect it to be a masterpiece, but I bought it (cheap paperback fortunately) because I enjoyed Ensemble c'est Tout -- it was a pleasant, undemanding read. Many of the reviews on amazon.fr said that the first 300 pages were hard going, but it got better. Well, yes, they were hard going. But then it got worse.
Some French reviewers whinged about the grammar and structure in the first part (lack of personal pronouns making it hard More...
Some French reviewers whinged about the grammar and structure in the first part (lack of personal pronouns making it hard More...
Nov 13, 2011
Jag blev förvånad över mig själv över hur besviken jag blev på boken. Jag har läst lite Gavalda tidigare och har gillat hennes språk och karaktärsframställning. Hon har tidigare lyckats fånga en atmosfår som håler sig rakt igenom boken. I Lyckan är en sällsam fågel får jag enbart känslan pastoral och (taskig) romantisk kiosklitteratur. Det kan vara översättningen, men jag tycker även att språket känns överarbetat och hon använder rätt fåniga metaforer och bilder. Jag kom på mig själv att säga, "
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Dec 30, 2011
Jenny
rated it:
After having read "Hunting & Gathering" by the same author, a true masterpiece, I had very high expectations of this novel.
But I am markedly disappointed with this read, and I had to make a great effort finishing it. The protagonist Charles Balanda had no characteristics or happenings at all that intrigued me whatsoever. I really didn't want to know whether he sorted out his ordeals or not. Maybe I am in the wrong life phase to appreciate this one.
I only looked fo More...
But I am markedly disappointed with this read, and I had to make a great effort finishing it. The protagonist Charles Balanda had no characteristics or happenings at all that intrigued me whatsoever. I really didn't want to know whether he sorted out his ordeals or not. Maybe I am in the wrong life phase to appreciate this one.
I only looked fo More...
Aug 13, 2010
Julia
rated it: 
This one is hard to read from the beginning.
I wanted to put this book down more than once but as I was waiting for my connecting flight at the airport and had no other book on hand I kept on reading for a few hours and am so happy about it.
This book gets you and is such a book about love love and love. And about a midlife-crises and how you can really live your dreams even if its the difficult way to live.
It is beautiful written from the middle to the end and I really was sa More...
I wanted to put this book down more than once but as I was waiting for my connecting flight at the airport and had no other book on hand I kept on reading for a few hours and am so happy about it.
This book gets you and is such a book about love love and love. And about a midlife-crises and how you can really live your dreams even if its the difficult way to live.
It is beautiful written from the middle to the end and I really was sa More...
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Sep 22, 2009
Maguxy
rated it:
mmm qué he aprendido de este libro? que si no te gusta una novela la dejes en las primeras páginas y no intentes darle oportunidades. Para algunos este libro estará escrito maravillosamente, pero yo veo a una tía que se ha comprado un portátil, le ha instalado el word, se ha comprado el libro de crítica literaria y ha creído entender el concepto de stream of conciousness y quería copiarlo.
Batiburrillo de ideas sin sentido, historia que puede ser interesante pero la forma de narrala prrrrrr More...
Batiburrillo de ideas sin sentido, historia que puede ser interesante pero la forma de narrala prrrrrr More...
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Nov 04, 2008
Elise
rated it:
Charles Balanda, 47 ans, architecte à Paris, apprend incidemment la mort d'une femme qu'il a connue quand il était enfant, et adolescent. 'Il déchire la lettre et la jette dans la poubelle de la cuisine. Quand il relève son pied de la pédale et que le couvercle retombe, clac, il a l'impression d'avoir refermé, à temps, une espèce de boîte de Pandore, et, puisqu'il est devant l'évier, s'asperge le visage en gémissant. Retourne ensuite vers les autres. Vers la vie. Se sent mieux déjà. Allez... C'e
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Jul 19, 2011
Teresa
rated it: 
Not bad. Written in a quite chaotic way. The point of view changes without warning you, which is quite confusing and sometimes it is difficult to tell wether it's a dialogue or a thought.
Quite dense too, well, in the french way. It feels as if you were an intruder in the lives of the characters.
Some thoughts on life are interesting, some are just nonsense pretending to be philosophic.
Quite dense too, well, in the french way. It feels as if you were an intruder in the lives of the characters.
Some thoughts on life are interesting, some are just nonsense pretending to be philosophic.
May 09, 2011
Ria
rated it:
Contrary to the popular opinion about this book, I enjoyed the first 300 pages of mild depression more than our hero finding his consolation. I enjoyed reading it, however, this is not something I would re-read or flip through, and the book doesn't have any life-changing passages one would unintentionally learn by heart.
Another unpopular opinion: the first 300 pages are not hard to read and it isn't hard to follow Gavalda's narrator.
Another unpopular opinion: the first 300 pages are not hard to read and it isn't hard to follow Gavalda's narrator.
Dec 03, 2009
Mireille
rated it:
The first 300 pages were terrible. Seriously. I had read somewhere on the Internet that it started getting good at about half, and they weren't lying. It was a pain before - hate the main character, hate the writing style (lots of ... and no pronouns, what is that about). When Kate comes around it starts being awesome. It was weird.
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Jun 22, 2011
Anna
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This book tortured me for about 2 weeks. No, it's brilliant, it's captivating, but it hits right in the weakest point of the reader. This book is about each of us and none of us. Characters! Charles... his work in Moscow, how funny, how sad! I love Gavalda's books but so far this is the one.
I'm endlessly in love with her style! Short sentences but so full of irony, so full with love.
I'm endlessly in love with her style! Short sentences but so full of irony, so full with love.
Feb 03, 2010
Melanie
rated it:
I don't know yet what to think about this book. I don't really like the way how it's written ( or the translation ) and I can't sympathize with the main characters. At this point I don't care about them at all...that's surprising because other stories of Anna Gavalda made me feel 'home'. On the other hand I'm curious enough to continue reading.
***
Finally finished the book and I'm dissappointed.The second part became better than the first 300 pages but that's only because the ch More...
***
Finally finished the book and I'm dissappointed.The second part became better than the first 300 pages but that's only because the ch More...
Mar 31, 2009
Mike
rated it:
As "Ensemble, c'est tout", there are some very strong moments, but then there are lapses into overwrought scenes that don't really add to the novel...
I found that there were really two novels in one here, and they were lossely linked.
However, I found it to be more appealing to me than the other Gavalda I read. I think it is because I related to Charles more than any of the characters in "Ensemble, c'est tout". An interesting attempt at a mid-life, c More...
I found that there were really two novels in one here, and they were lossely linked.
However, I found it to be more appealing to me than the other Gavalda I read. I think it is because I related to Charles more than any of the characters in "Ensemble, c'est tout". An interesting attempt at a mid-life, c More...
Feb 02, 2011
Jessica
rated it:
I loved this book. It was so touching and inspiring. It was a bit weird in English, especially as it was the Irish edition. I will read it again I'm sure. Embracing and letting go of childhood and taking second chances. Now that is an ellipsis.
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Oct 24, 2011
Maris
rated it:
Like many others have already commented, the first half was very difficult to read. The author challenged the reader, no question about it :-).
But the story was with me long time after I had finished reading the book, it had a lot to tell me.
But the story was with me long time after I had finished reading the book, it had a lot to tell me.
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Jul 27, 2011
Lyne
rated it:
J'ai eu beaucoup de difficulté à "Embarquer" dans le livre. Beaucoup d'expression en patois de France, difficile à saisir, même pour moi qui es moitié française !
Beaucoup aimé le dernier tiers, où les personnages se révèlent attachants, mais sans plus.
Beaucoup aimé le dernier tiers, où les personnages se révèlent attachants, mais sans plus.
Jun 09, 2008
Delphine
rated it:
Un beau roman avec un ton intéressant, emporté, drôle, et des références culturelles américaines rares (Paul Bunyan, par exemple.)
Charles Balanda est architecte. Il vit avec sa campagne, Laurence, et la fille adolescente de celle-ci, Mathilde. Mais un jour, il reçoit un simple mot lui annonçant la mort de la mère d'Alexis, l'un de ses amis. Il va alors sur la tombe de celle-ci, puis cherche à retrouver Alexis qu'il juge responsable du suicide d'Anouck.
Sur place, il devien More...
Charles Balanda est architecte. Il vit avec sa campagne, Laurence, et la fille adolescente de celle-ci, Mathilde. Mais un jour, il reçoit un simple mot lui annonçant la mort de la mère d'Alexis, l'un de ses amis. Il va alors sur la tombe de celle-ci, puis cherche à retrouver Alexis qu'il juge responsable du suicide d'Anouck.
Sur place, il devien More...
Dec 02, 2010
Barbara
rated it:
I hadn't read a German book in ages and found this one tough going at the start. It wasn't the fact that it was in German, though, mind you. More to do with the different voices in the book and the overall style it was written it. Still, I couldn't put it down - even if it took me nearly two weeks to finish reading it. I found it was well worth hanging in there. A good read but not an easy one.
Mar 24, 2011
Amy
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Mixed feelings about this translation out of French which doesn't always work. First 300 pp were painful at times but I felt the nee to persever with it and the final chapters made the effort worthwhile
Aug 09, 2011
Mary
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Flojito, flojito. Está muy bien escrito y engancha pero la historia es inverosímil. Qué es esa especie de País de Nunca Jamás? Acaba pareciéndome una novela rosa, versión posmoderna.
Aug 10, 2011
Elisabeth
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La première partie du roman est lononongue et dépressive. J'ai eu beaucoup de mal à entrer dans l'histoire. La seconde partie, heureusement, est justement plus... heureuse.
Dec 24, 2011
Leeloo
rated it:
j'ai eu beaucoup de mal à m'adapter au style de l'auteur, ainsi qu'à me mettre dans l'histoire...
pour avoir une fin tout ce qu'il y a de prévisible..
pour avoir une fin tout ce qu'il y a de prévisible..
Oct 05, 2011
Ptilou
rated it:
je n'ai pas depassé les 10 pages..ca veut tout dire! une horreur a lire, absolument incompréhensible. rien a voir avec "ensemble c'est tout".
Aug 06, 2011
J'ai profondément détesté le début mais n'ayant rien d'autre à lire, je me suis accrochée mais je suis malgré tout déçue.
Dec 07, 2011
Octabis
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It took me a bit of time to get into it, fist few chapters were a bit deceiving, but you soon forget about it all to immerge yourself in this beautiful story. You can really imagine the characters, all so tiny but all so important, and the settings in this countryside sounds just like paradise.
Definitly a must-read.
Definitly a must-read.
