Πριν εκείνη με γνωρίσει

by Julian Barnes, Θωμάς Σκάσσης (Translator)

Ο καθηγητής της Ιστορίας Γκράχαμ Χέντρικ εγκατέλειψε τη γυναίκα του την Μπάρμπαρα για χάρη της γεμάτης ζωντάνια Ανν και είναι κάτι περισσότερο από ευχαριστημένος με την καινούργια του ζωή. Αυτά όμως μέχρι τη μέρα που ανακαλύπτει το παρελθόν της Ανν στον κινηματογράφο ως μέτριας ηθοποιού. Πριν περάσει πολύς χρόνος, ο Γκράχαμ έχει πέσει με τα μούτρα στην αναζήτηση παλιών ιχνών, ψάχνοντας στα βιβλία της τις αφιερώσεις πρώην εραστών, πηγαίνοντας συχνά στο σινεμά και εντρυφώντας στις παλιές ταινίες όπου εκείνη είχε εμφανιστεί. Δεν καταλογίζει στην Ανν ότι είχε κάποιο παρελθόν πριν γνωριστούν, έλα όμως που η ιστορία είναι κάτι που ανέκαθεν τον ενδιέφερε...

"Μιλάω για τη ζήλια" είπε ο Γκράχαμ απότομα. Μετά, προσπαθώντας να φανεί πρόθυμος να βοηθήσει, συμπλήρωσε: "Την ερωτική ζήλια".

"Δεν υπάρχει κι άλλη, εκ πείρας το λέω. Μμμμ. Λυπάμαι που το ακούω αυτό. Ώστε η μικρή παίζει με τη φωτιά, ε; Ποτέ δεν μπορείς να ξέρεις, αυτό λέω εγώ. Ποτέ δεν ξέρεις τι έχεις πάρει, παρά μόνο όταν είναι πολύ αργά και τότε ούτε ψύλλος στον κόρφο σου". Περίμενε να συνεχίσει ο Γκράχαμ.

"Όχι, δεν είναι αυτό. Δόξα τω Θεώ. Αυτό θα ήταν φοβερό. Φοβερό. Είναι κάτι περισσότερο... αναδρομικό, εντελώς αναδρομικό. Έχει να κάνει με τους τύπους που προηγήθηκαν. Πριν εκείνη με γνωρίσει."

Genres: Fiction, British Literature, Contemporary, Literature, Literary Fiction, Novels, 20th Century

271 pages, Paperback

First published April 15, 1982

About the author

Julian Patrick Barnes is an English writer. He won the Man Booker Prize in 2011 with The Sense of an Ending, having been shortlisted three times previously with Flaubert's Parrot, England, England, and Arthur & George. Barnes has also written crime fiction under the pseudonym Dan Kavanagh (having married Pat Kavanagh). In addition to novels, Barnes has published collections of essays and short stories.
In 2004 he became a Commandeur of L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. His honours also include the Somerset Maugham Award and the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize. He was awarded the 2021 Jerusalem Prize.

Reviews

[Valeriu Gherghel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Îmi închipui că ați parcurs deja romanul lui Julian Barnes, Before She Met Me, tradus în românește de Radu Paraschivescu și publicat de Nemira, în 2014, sub titlul Pînă cînd m-a cunoscut. Nu voi povesti intriga, bănuiesc că vă este deja cunoscută.

Deci, profesorul de istorie Graham Hendrick se recăsătorește cu o femeie mult mai tînără și mai frumoasă decît prima lui soție, Barbara. Ăsta e un fapt matematic necesar. Nimeni nu se recăsătorește cu femei mai în vîrstă decît dacă sînt foarte bogate (și pe ducă). Ann Mears nu este cîtuși de puțin bogată și nici în stadiul terminal al senilității, are, așadar, avantajul și parfumul frăgezimii.

Totul merge perfect pînă în clipa în care, îndemnat de Alice, fiica lui (și a Barbarei), profesorul de istorie vizitează un cinematograf de periferie. Vizionează un film derizoriu. Printre personajele minore, Graham o recunoaște pe Ann, într-un rol aproape anonim. Istoricul devine brusc și definitiv gelos. Este cuprins de o gelozie retrospectivă. Ce se ascunde în trecutul lui Ann? Nu cumva? Pe cine a iubit Ann? Nu cumva? Cu cine s-a culcat Ann? Nu cumva? Gelozia a devenit obsesivă.

Mintea lui Graham se întunecă sub povara supozițiilor. Soțul n-are nici un temei să-și bănuiască soția de infidelitate. Caută cu disperare unul. Vrea dovada neîndoioasă a păcatului. Vizitează cinematografele, observă cu un ochi încețoșat de obsesie toate filmele (puține) în care jucase, cîndva, Ann. Nu găsește nimic dubios. Iar eșecul repetat duce la o agravare a obsesiei. Absența dovezilor este singura dovadă a infidelității soției sale...

Veți vorbi de nebunie. Nu neg. Veți observa paranoia „in actu”, vidul rotitor al ipotezelor bezmetice. Nici asta nu pot nega. Profesorul Graham Hendrick a căzut în cel mai perfid întuneric. Într-un cuvînt pe cît de mișcător tot pe atîta de rece: s-a smintit.

[Paul Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

The moral of this book, which applies mostly to women, is that you should not get married to someone who, if they discover by accident that you had an earlier career as a porn actress which you had felt, quite understandably, that you didn't need to mention, will go very quietly mad, so quietly that there will be no signs that you should get the hell out of the house.

It may be a very good moral but it's not so useful, I think. I mean, you can hardly ask your affianced gentleman "Just imagine for a moment, darling, that you found out I'd been a porn star for a year at the age of 20 - oh yes, it's only a funny thought exercise, I know, indulge me won't you - so, now, how would you feel, hmmm? Okay? Would we be cool? No, no, as I say, it's just a crazy little imaginitive esprit, dear, nothing more..."

Well, maybe somebody could try that and report back to us what happens.

[Teresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I reviewed England, England, I wrote that it was the first time I'd given a Barnes less than 4 stars. This is now the first time I've given one of his works less than 3 stars. I plan on reading them all, so I hope to never give one only a single star.

Barnes explores retrospective obsessive sexual jealousy to its ridiculous extreme, and to an inevitable (?) conclusion, but reading about the sexual act (and that's basically all this is about -- why isn't Graham jealous about other things concerning his wife?) is almost always boring, and certainly is here. I think much of it was supposed to be funny, but I never find characters like Jack funny (and how unrealistic that a man like Jack would be Graham's best friend; it's a mere plot device), and I chuckled only twice, briefly.

In a way the ending reminds me of the end of an early Ian McEwan, and its prose (not necessarily the content) maybe redeemed what came before it a little bit; but nope, not enough, too little, and too late.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm glad this wasn't the first Barnes I'd read, because it would have been the last.
It seemed, oddly, an immature work, being the worst of Updike with a dash of early McEwan.
I need to read something good now, to rinse out my mind.

[Zaphirenia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ελαφρά απογοήτευση. 2,5/5.

[Roula · Rating 3 out of 5]

σε ποια επιπεδα μπορει να φτασει η ζηλια? μπορει-κυριολεκτικα ισως-να σκοτωσει? πως μας επηρεαζουν οι αποτυχημενες μας σχεσεις στις μετεπειτα? με αυτα και αλλα πολλα ασχολειται ο παντα αγαπημενος μου Μπαρνς στο οχι πιο αγαπημενο μου βιβλιο του.αστειο σε πολλα σημεια, καυστικο , ρεαλιστικο και σε καποια σημεια ακραιο.ποτε δε με απογοητευει ο Τζουλιαν αλλα δεν καταφερνει παντα να με γοητευσει στον ιδιο βαθμο..

[W.D. Clarke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Subjectively speaking, while this reads like an objective 4* book, one which is more taut and relentlessly single-minded than Julian Barnes's admittedly more-endearing (in its first half anyway) debut, it was nevertheless a 1* read for me--just as Othello is my least favourite of Shakespeare's masterpieces, this (so far) counts as my least favourite of JB's accomplished body of work, because i simply cannot abide envy and its obverse§‡, the latter of which is the exhaustive and exhausting subject of this book, viz.

One, Graham thought. Why was there jealousy—not just for him, but for lots of people? Why did it start up? It was related to love in some way, but that way wasn’t quantifiable or comprehensible. Why did it suddenly start wailing in his head, like the ground warning system in an aircraft: six and a half seconds, evasive action, now. That was what it felt like sometimes, inside Graham’s skull. And why did it pick on him? Was it some bit of fluky chemistry? Was it all dished out at birth? Did you get given jealousy the way you got given a big bottom or poor eyesight, both of which Graham suffered from. If so, maybe it wore off after a while; maybe there was only enough jealousy chemical in that soft box up there for a certain number of years. Perhaps; but Graham rather doubted it: he’d had a big bottom for years, and that showed no signs of easing up.

Two. Given that for some reason there had to be jealousy, why should it operate retrospectively? Why was it the only major emotion that seemed to? The others didn’t. [...] This jealousy, however, came in rushes, in sudden, intimate bursts that winded you; its source was trivial, its cure unknown. Why should the past make you crazy with emotion? [...]


Three. Why did retrospective jealousy exist now, in the last quarter of the twentieth century? [...]


Four. Why should it happen to him, him of all people? He was, he knew, a very sensible person. [...]

Enough! Uncle! I--I don't care!

To which JB's female lead's kindly Calvinist granny replies:

Don’t Care was made to care;
Don’t Care was hung;
Don’t Care was put in a pot
And boiled till she was done.

Done!
No fun! Un-!
Run! To the next one!
To--Staring at the Sun!

§And, in the Champions League of Sinning, if envy really is one of the 7 Deadlies, then how come fornicating gluttons have somehow trespassed "mortally" (so no, no fries with that, as well as none of that itself, then, I guess, thanks) and are thus relegated to the upper circles of hell in Dante's Inferno, while the obsessively envious and pathologically jealous get a, relatively speaking, much more venial slap on the ol' sinful wrist and promotion to Purgatory, huh?!

‡Wikipedia paraphrases philosopher John Rawls's take on the properly subjunctive, I-me-me-mine-ish, apropriative proprietorship of it all thus: "jealousy involves the wish to keep what one has, and envy the wish to get what one does not have" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jealous...).

[foteini_dl · Rating 2 out of 5]

[2.5*,μάλλον]
Πρόκειται για ένα βιβλίο με κάποια απ’ τα καλά στοιχεία του Barnes να κάνουν την εμφάνισή τους: χιούμορ (πιστεύω στα ελληνικά «χάνεται» κάπως στη μετάφραση,αλλά υπάρχουν στιγμές που καταλαβαίνεις ότι κάποιο αστείο υπάρχει στην αγγλική έκδοση),γραφή που ρέει με αποτέλεσμα το βιβλίο να διαβάζεται εύκολα, ενδιαφέροντες χαρακτήρες.
Όμως, κάπου εδώ σταματούν τα θετικά και ξεκινάνε τ’ αρνητικά: oι χαρακτήρες,αν και παρουσιάζουν ενδιαφέρον,κάτι τους λείπειˑ αποδεικνύονται «λίγοι», ενώ η ιστορία είναι γενικά αδύναμη και καταντάει μη πιστευτή. Ο συγγραφέας έκανε μια φιλότιμη προσπάθεια να καταπιαστεί με το θέμα της ζήλιας, αλλά από κάποιο σημείο και μετά βαρέθηκα.Ίσως να έφταιγε και η απουσία παράλληλων θεμάτων. Αλλά,θα μου πείτε, ένας συγγραφέας δεν γράφει κατά παραγγελιά δική μας.
Νομίζω πως συνολικά δεν είναι ενδεικτικό των-μεγάλων-δυνατοτήτων του Barnes,που μας έχει προσφέρει αριστουργήματα (και είναι και ένας από τους αγαπημένους μου συγγραφείς).

[Eylül Görmüş · Rating 3 out of 5]

İlk yarısı nefis, ikinci yarısı kötü bir kitaptı “Benimle Tanışmadan Önce”. Bu kitabı çok “sıkıcı” bulanlar var, tuhaf bence; pek çok şey söylenebilir ama sıkıcı bunlardan biri değil asla. Barnes’ın ilk romanlarından kendisi, sonraki eserlerinde üzerinde atacağı bariz bir amatörlük göze çarpıyor kitapta. Fakat yine de didiklediği konuyu (saplantıya dönüşen cinsel kıskançlık) ve didikleme biçimini ben oldukça ilginç buldum. İnternetin olmadığı bir dönemde stalking’in nasıl yapılabileceğine dair kısımları okumak ayrıca ilgi çekiciydi. Barnes’ın yazının her zamanki komik ve esprili yanı bu kitapta da mevcut, onun yüzeye çıktığı bölümleri ayrıca sevdim. Fakat gelgelelim kitap ilerledikçe fena halde karanlık bir yere sürükleniyor ve bence öykü bu noktada ikna ediciliğini yitiriyor. Özellikle sonu bana kesinlikle ikna edici gelmedi, kahramanları bu noktaya getiren dinamikleri yeterince deşememiş gibi hissettim yazar. Başka bir sonu olsa çok daha iyi olabilecek bir romanmış ama olamadı. Yine de okumuş olmaktan mutluyum.

[Deea · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was the crappiest and most annoying book I read in the last year. I didn't think Barnes was capable of ever writing such poor quality novels.

[Paradoxe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Καθενας μας συνανταει εστω ενα βιβλιο στη ζωη του που μιλαει στην ψυχη του. Ποικιλα συναισθηματα γεννιουνται απ' αυτη την ενωση.

Αισθανομαι ματαιοδοξα ευλογημενος και κακομαθημενος γιατι ως τωρα υπηρξαν αρκετα βιβλια που ωθησαν την ψυχη μου να σκιρταει με μια γκαμα συναισθηματων που θα μπορουσε να με αρρωστησει αν τα ενιωθα πραγματικα. Απ' το δεος στο θυμο κι απο λυγμους χωρις προφανη αιτια στο μενος, στη στιγμιαια ηρεμια της αγαπης η εστω στη συντριπτικη εκρηξη ερωτων για μερικες σελιδες χαρτι.

Ομως,
ειναι λιγες οι φορες που ενα βιβλιο εχει μιλησει απ' ευθειας στο μυαλο μου. Αυτο παντοτε με θετει σε εγρηγορση, με ξυπναει, σκεφτομαι συνεχεια και με ρυθμο που θα τρελαινε. Δεν υπαρχει καποιο εμφανες συναισθημα ως υποκινητης αλλα η αξεπεραστη και αδιαφιλονικητη καλλονη, η Λογικη. Ειναι τετοιος ο θριαμβος του αυτο ειναι ετσι κι εκεινο καπως αλλιως και δυο συν τρια κανει πεντε που δεν αφηνει περιθωρια για συναισθηματα. Ειναι η σκεψη μεσα στη σκεψη που οδηγει σε περισκεψη.

Τζουλιαν Μπαρνς, "Πριν εκεινη με γνωρισει".

Μιλησε στο μυαλο μου. Και ειχε φωνη που θυμιζει το αγαπημενο μου Tullamore...Ας μου επιτραπει ποιητικη αδεια:...οπως θα 'ταν μια φωνη σαν το αρωμα τριανταφυλλου καθε φορα που ανακινω το ποτηρι μου και τη γευση που τσουζει και γλυκιζει...Καθησυχαστικη και ταυτοχρονα επισφαλης.

Η ζήλεια είναι ένας τρομακτικός μηχανισμός που συγκρατείται όσο και συγκροτείται από καταστάσεις εσωτερικές κι από μηχανισμούς κι ανθρώπους εξωτερικούς. Τα κίνητρα έσω και οι βολές απ’ έξω. Δεν υπάρχει καλύτερος τρόπος να περιγραφεί τι προκαλεί απ’ το τετράστιχο του Μυθικού Καβάφη:
«... Ν’ αγαπηθεί ακόμη περισσότερον
η ηδονή που νοσηρώς και με φθορά αποκτάται•
σπάνια το σώμα βρίσκοντας που αισθάνεται όπως θέλει αυτή —
που νοσηρώς και με φθορά, παρέχει
μιαν έντασιν ερωτική, που δεν γνωρίζει η υγεία ...»
Το πρόβλημα όλων των φιλενάδων που είχα ήταν πως κινούμαι βάσει λογικής, επομένως μια τέτοια κατάσταση μόνο αρρωστημένη μου φαινόταν πάντοτε. Ήθελα να τη βιώσω και τη βίωσα. Είναι φριχτά αρρωστημένη και στενόχωρη, παράλληλα προσφέρει τρομερές ηδονές όταν ανταποδίδεται. Αυτές ήταν οι σκέψεις μου το 2014 που δεν άλλαξαν ως και το 2016. Το ΦΡΙΧΤΟ όμως αυτό βιβλιαράκι δεν το ξέχασα, είναι ΦΡΙΧΤΑ ΟΜΟΡΦΟ και ΣΑΤΑΝΙΚΑ ΡΕΑΛΙΣΤΙΚΟ.
Το 2016 είχα μια σχέση που έγινα μονομερώς το αντικείμενο ζήλειας σε περίοδο όπου ήμουν με τις άμυνες κάτω λόγω καταστάσεων που αντιμετώπιζα στη δουλειά και μιας ασθένειας που πέρασα. Δεν είναι παράσημο να σε ζηλεύουν. Είναι μια απίστευτη οδύνη, με ένα δαίμονα ανάμεσα στους δύο απ’ τον οποίο δε μπορείς να προστατευτείς. Μαυρίζει τη σκέψη, τα συναισθήματα, τη μέρα. Φτάνει σε δυστοπικές νότες, σε τσακίζει, ναι μεν νιώθεις ζωντανός από κάθε μάχη που δίνεις αλλά ωστόσο βγαίνεις και λίγο τρελός. Επομένως, με ένα τρίτο τρόπο αυτό το βιβλίο είναι μια ΣΑΤΑΝΙΚΑ ρεαλιστική σύλληψη. Επίσης είναι σεμνό, γραμμένο απλά και ούτε καν φαντάζεσαι τι θα σου προκαλέσει αν έχεις ζήσει ορισμένα πράγματα.

5 αστέρια αδιαπραγμάτευτα.

[Hakan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Usta yazar Julian Barnes’ın 1982’de yayınlanmış olan bu romanının ana teması kıskançlık. İkinci karısının kendisinden önce, üstelik daha kendisini tanımadan yaşadığı ilişkileri bir saplantı haline getiren ana kahramanın hikayesi anlatılan. Pek Barnes’ın tarzı olmayan sert ve de sürpriz bir sonu var. Barnes külliyatının en iyilerinden değil belki ama hem güçlü kalemiyle, hem de işlenen konuları farklı katmanlarıyla ele almasıyla okunmaya değer bir kitap. Psikolojiye merak duyanlara daha da ilginç gelebilir. Türkçe çevirisini Ayrıntı 2002’de basmış.

[Daisy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't tell if this book written in the early 80's is terribly dated or somewhat prescient, dealing as it does with a man driven mad by jealousy after seeing his wife acting in a crap British comedy. He starts searching out anything she's ever appeared in and questions whether she slept with her co-stars (co-star is misleading as she never says more that a trite sentence in any of them) in the film or in reality. Now anyone can drag up pictures of their current love pictured with previous lovers with a cursory search of social media so I wonder if this has inured us to the jealousy experienced by Graham or exacerbated it. Of course we all feel slightly aggrieved at the knowledge that our beloved has done things, been places first with someone else, but does seeing it make it worse or better (you're seeing it so no need to set that over-active imagination to work), who knows.
This is common Barnes territory - in fact the characters were ringers for those in Love Etc. Graham the plain, passive academic, Ann his almost saintly but wet wife and Jack his artistic, louche friend. Of course being Barnes the women are poorly drawn, Ann is endlessly patient, always open, honest, forgiving and tolerant while Barbara is a caricature of an ex-wife; bitter, spiteful, lazy, and money grabbing. There is somewhat of an issue with Barbara's character because she seems to have no redeeming qualities we question Graham and his judgement. What did he ever see in her? we ask.
Aha though this is Barnes and so we must understand that she must act as a foil to further highlight the beatification of Ann (and to ensure that the reader harbours not the slightest ill-feeling towards her for having an affair with Graham and being the catalyst for him leaving Barbara).
After a meh story which irritated me because you just needed one character to call out the ridiculousness of Graham's behaviour the ending came as something of a shock and out of keeping with the rest of the book.
It had pretensions of being a modern Othello (Jack keeps referencing it in case the reader missed the link) but lacked characters with depth and had too many fart jokes to come anywhere close.
Last Barnes on my list!

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

A middle-aged man in his second marriage suddenly and seemingly inexplicably obsessed with his wife’s romantic partners prior to their meeting. I found this irrational, self-centered, jealous man incomprehensible and unlikable. It is a testament to Barnes’ incredible skill that I was drawn into the orbit and life of such a character in this short book. Despite the very limited action, I could not put this down.

[Giorgos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ο Μπαρνς μ' αρέσει γενικώς, αν και πιο πολύ μ' εντυπωσιάζει το έργο του αδελφού του Τζόναθαν στη φιλοσοφία. Όμως αυτό το βιβλίο του δεν μού φάνηκε τόσο ενδιαφέρον, όσο άλλα όπως ο Παπαγάλος ή το Τέλος, αλλά διαβάζεται άνετα και σχεδόν ευχάριστα -προσοχή: ένα βήμα πριν τον σαδισμό ωστόσο, μια και μιλά τις βλαβερές συνέπειες της ερωτικής ζήλιας, που κανείς και καμιά δεν θάθελε να τις τύχει! Ειδικά ο δευτεροπαντρεμένος καθηγητής ιστορίας, ο Γκράχαμ, που ήλπιζε ότι στην Ανν είχε βρει (ή, πάντως, έβρισκε) την ανανέωση και τη δεύτερη ευκαιρία της ζωής του, όχι μόνο της ερωτικής.
Φευ! Άλλες οι βουλές της πρώτης του συζύγου που του θερμαίνει την ψυχαναγκαστική εμμονή στην αναδίφηση του παρελθόντος, η οποία μπορεί να σε κάνει αποτελεσματικό ιστοριοδίφη αλλά μπορεί και να σου ξετινάξει τη ζωή.
Κι έτσι ο Γκράχαμ αντί να αναζητά τις τιμές του κάρβουνου στις συναλλαγές της μεσοδυτικής Βρετανίας στις αρχές του 19ου αιώνα, ανασκαλεύει με τη σχολαστικότητα ιστορικού το παρελθόν της συζύγου και βρίσκει ολοένα στοιχεία. Αλλά παρά το ότι είναι ιστορικός, ο τρόπος που αξιολογεί τις πηγές του δεν είναι και ο πιο επαγγελματικός... Ολοένα πιο απορροφημένος από τη σχεδόν μαζοχιστική ανάγκη να αφηγηθούν οι (κινηματογραφικές) πηγές του τη δική του εκδοχή της ιστορίας για τη σύζυγό του, που πέρασε και δεν άγγιξε την έβδομη τέχνη -μοιάζει όμως να την άγγιξαν αρκετοί υπηρέτες της (στην οθόνη ή στο κρεβάτι;). Θα μείνει ο ιστορικός μας στη μεθοδική ταξινόμηση, στην αποδελτίωση του υλικού του παρελθόντος του της συζύγου "πριν εκείνη [τον] γνωρίσει"; Πώς θ' αντιμετωπίσει τους δαίμονες της ζήλιας για παλιές ιστορίες, άσχετες με αυτόν;
Ο Μπαρνς στήνει την πλοκή έξυπνα, περιμένεις την επόμενη κίνηση του Γκράχαμ -λίγο συμπάσχοντας λίγο τρομάζοντας με το τι κάνουν τέτοιες ακαταμάχητες εμμονές για ένα παρελθόν που ήσουν εσύ απών-, έχει χιούμορ απέναντι στους ήρωές του, αναλύει αρκετά τις ψυχολογικές διεργασίες του και ξέρει από ανατροπές. Συνολικά, χωρίς να σου αλλάζει την προοπτική, σίγουρα σε κάνει να ξανασκεφτείς που οδηγεί η ερωτική ζήλια.

[MihaElla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ahh, I feel like I am falling back quietly and comfortably on my own domesticity... Sadly but truly, from the whole book I liked only one paragraph, whilst the rest was unreadable for my eyes, without displaying any apparent desire to stray beyond its borders, pages I mean...Well, I was not even unusually restless or excited by the book's plot. So, yeah 2* is enough :)

[flaminia · Rating 1 out of 5]

imbarazzante. fossi in barnes, andrei a mettermi da sola in ginocchio sui ceci.

[Menia · Rating 1 out of 5]

δεύτερο "ηλίθιο" βιβλίο γι αυτό το χρόνο, άνευρο, άνευ ουσίας, άνευ λόγου...

[Will Ansbacher · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tiresome and rather implausible story about a neurotic guy, Graham, who becomes obsessed with his wife Anne’s former lovers. I only made it through on the strength of Barnes’s often witty writing and the fact that it is mercifully short. It all hinges on Graham’s louche friend Jack, whom he uses as a confidant and for dubious psychiatric advice: Jack is apparently such an unimaginative author that he has to actually experience a real person before he can write about a similar fictional character. Yeah, right.

Now I think about it, that’s not the only implausible part: Anne’s saintly patience with Graham’s obsession and Graham’s unnecessarily shrewish ex-wife - but never mind, it really is too tedious to analyse further. Barely two stars; Barnes’s later works are much better.

[Argos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Julian Barnes’a yakıştıramadığım sıradan bir kıskançlık öyküsü. Araya sıkıştırılmış cinsellik, antropolojik değinmeler, kültürel dokunuşlar boşa çaba. Yazarın o muhteşem ironi yeteneği bile kurtaramıyor bu romanı. Daha önce okuduğum kitapları yanında sabun köpüğü, yorumlamayı bile haketmiyor.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

An impeccably written intervention in a far too prevalent obsession: our own grotesque embellishment of the past lives of significant others, phantoms we transfuse with the most putrid blood of our sickest eros. We imagine that whoever got there "first" not only got the best deal but spoiled it irreparably, though it likely never comes to such a precise and heinous wording. It's not enough to simply be together and no amount of reassurance can slake this morbid passion. No, such groundless, boundless jealousy has to ruin everything futilely trying to obliterate the past. Innumerable would-be lovers throwing ice cubes at the sun.

The stoking of retroactive jealousy with a literal film reel highlights the absurdity and the tenacity of the self-victimizing fixation. Of course I can't help but be reminded of Lacan's quip that even if everything the jealous husband suspects is true, his jealousy remains a paranoid delusion. And also that montage is the mode of the drive, so the connection of film with finicky memory and vagarious desire is apposite. Graham, the husband, joyfully suffers his self-inflicted wounds to the very bizarre end. Barnes has given us, in his own risible words, a "Clausewitz of intimacy."

[Christina · Rating 1 out of 5]

βαρέθηκα όσο δεν πάει

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 pentru că îmi e drag autorul cu alte cărți. N-as recomanda cartea aceasta unei cititor la început de drum să îl descopere pe autor.

[Leonidas Moumouris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Βαρέθηκα τόσο πολύ θεέ μου...

Η ερωτική ζήλια και η φαιδρότητά της σε όλο της το μεγαλείο. Αυτό το σαράκι που σου κλέβει βίαια, ξεριζώνοντας τις στιγμές που θα έπρεπε να ζεις να αγαπάς να καυλωνεις.

Η ζήλια ακόμα και γι αυτούς που άγγιζαν το κορίτσι σου πριν ακόμα το γνωρίσεις. Γελοίο. Αλλά οι άνθρωποι το παθαίνουμε.

Θα μπορούσε να αξίζει...
Αλλά...

[Georgia Zarkadaki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Με τον Τζουλιαν Μπαρνς έχω υπάρξει πολύ υπομονετική. Του έδωσα τρείς ευκαιρίες να με κερδίσει σαν αναγνώστρια και δυστυχώς απέτυχε σε κάθε μια από αυτές. Το «Πριν εκείνη με γνωρίσει» το είχα διαβάσει μερικούς μήνες πριν αλλά η ανάμνηση αυτής της ανάγνωσης θάφτηκε κάτω από άλλες αναγνώσεις και ξέχασα να γράψω την κριτική μου. Θα πρέπει να ομολογήσω πως δεν θυμάμαι πολλά από την πλοκή του μυθιστορήματος και αυτό το εκλαμβάνω ως μια ακόμη επιβεβαίωση πως ο συγγραφέας αυτός δεν μου ταιριάζει.
Η ζήλεια, λοιπόν, είναι το συναίσθημα με το οποίο καταπιάνεται ο συγγραφέας. Ο κεντρικός μας ήρωας χωρίζει από την πολλών ετών σύζυγο του και παντρεύεται ευθύς αμέσως σχεδόν μια άλλη – καλύτερη συμφωνά με την άποψη του – σύντροφο. Όταν ανακαλύπτει πως του είχε κρύψει την καριέρα της στο soft porn κινηματογράφο ο Graham (ο ήρωας μας) αρχίζει μια κατάδυση προς την κόλαση που ονομάζεται «εμμονή» με θλιβερά αποτελέσματα.
Δεν κατάφερα να συμπαθήσω κανέναν χαρακτήρα. Μου φάνηκαν όλοι επιφανειακοί και παράλογοι. Νομίζω πως η μετάφραση δεν βοήθησε τόσο· βρήκα την γραφή φλύαρη, βαρετή και ξύλινη. Μπορεί και τα άλλα του βιβλία να μην μου άρεσαν, σε κανένα όμως δεν βαρέθηκα τόσο ώστε η ανάγνωση να γίνει μαρτύριο.
Ξέρω ότι έχει φανατικούς αναγνώστες και πως τον αγαπούν πολύ, όποτε θα το πρότεινα μιας και μερικοί φαντάζομαι θα του βρουν στοιχεία που θα αγαπήσουν, για εμένα πάντως αυτό ήταν το τελευταίο του μυθιστόρημα.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A semi-creepy erotic novel about a neurotic wimp who discovers his second wife had a short lived career in low-budget sex comedies (she never told him) so he obsessively investigates her past sex life. There are times when the story’s amusing and times when it’s just plain irritating.
WHAT I LEARNED FROM THIS BOOK: This book would make a good BBC America TV movie with Richard E. Grant playing the nutty husband. I could see him making this story entertaining, otherwise we’re doomed.

[Lil · Rating 1 out of 5]

Painfully boring story of a man who becomes insanely jealous of his wife's previous lovers and more. Hated the characters and the only suspense was "when is this going to end?" There were a couple of funny lines but the book's most redeeming quality was that is was short.

[Arwen56 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Deludente questo romanzo di Barnes. Si risolleva un po’ nel finale, ma l’andamento è piuttosto fiacco. Il tema centrale è l’insorgere nel protagonista di un sentimento di gelosia retrospettiva nei confronti della seconda moglie, per la quale lui, uomo fondamentalmente passivo, è pur riuscito a trovare il coraggio di lasciare la precedente famiglia, in cui regnava un clima opprimente.

Ma i tempi sereni durano poco, perché l’ossessione pian piano degenera in depressione e in ripetitivi interrogatori diretti alla moglie riguardo i suoi trascorsi amorosi, nonché in un continuo rimuginio interiore. Efficace come rappresentazione della patologia in sé, ma alquanto carente, e alla lunga anche noioso e monotono, a livello di narrazione, perché l’indagine non conduce da nessuna parte e, persino alla fine, non si capisce il perché il protagonista abbia deciso di rovinarsi la vita in questo modo.

[Patrizia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Si intuiscono qua e là, nello stile asciutto e lineare, in alcuni momenti di grande ironia, nella capacità di descrivere e di analizzare i sentimenti umani, alcuni degli elementi che caratterizzano il Barnes migliore. Ma non più di questo. Paranoico, ma piatto, quasi noioso e petulante, questo breve romanzo si riscatta nel finale.
Se avessi iniziato da qui, probabilmente non avrei letto altro dell’autore

[Athena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jesus!Incredibly well written. Amazing what obsession and sex can do to a person. Barnes language and thinking continues to shatter walls.