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What Members Thought
Oh boy. If as a reader, you enjoy books with characters who wax philosophically but do little else, then this book is for you. It's heavy on political and social commentary, but short on plot, which is a shame, because when the author engages in storytelling, the book becomes much more interesting.
In addition, the theme of upper versus lower class didn't really do it for me. The characters who represent each of these perspectives are pretentious in their own way, as is the writing in the book. ...more
In addition, the theme of upper versus lower class didn't really do it for me. The characters who represent each of these perspectives are pretentious in their own way, as is the writing in the book. ...more
50-something Parisian concierge Renee is a closet intellectual who keeps her interests and intelligence a secret from the upper class tenants of her building because she doesn’t want them judging her. Ironically, she spends most of this novel generalizing and judging the upper class tenants of her building – when she’s not going on philosophical tangents. Paloma is a young Parisian teen who has evidently read Mersault’s L’Etranger one too many times and is overcome by a pervading sense of ennui.
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I've received this book from a friend.
She strongly recommanded it. It took me a while to star reading it. I was reading other books and ... to be honest I had read some reviews on this site that were not all that great, so it did become my priority to read this one ...
Once I've started, I was taken somewhere else. As I was telling my friend, I was slowing my reading pace just to enjoy the book a bit longer.
I read the book in French. I don't know if it makes a difference, but the one thing I know ...more
She strongly recommanded it. It took me a while to star reading it. I was reading other books and ... to be honest I had read some reviews on this site that were not all that great, so it did become my priority to read this one ...
Once I've started, I was taken somewhere else. As I was telling my friend, I was slowing my reading pace just to enjoy the book a bit longer.
I read the book in French. I don't know if it makes a difference, but the one thing I know ...more
This book was perhaps one of the most thought-provoking, soulfood reads I've had the pleasure of getting absorbed by in quite some time. Barbery's insight into the "human condition" both broke my heart and had me rushing to my journal to agree wholeheartedly with much of her sentiments. I definitely recommend this book to everyone, especially those looking for answers or the place to start asking questions.
Simply put, Beauty well and truly captured. ...more
Simply put, Beauty well and truly captured. ...more
This one took a while to get into, but it was interesting to see how the characters were able to sort themselves out choosing allies on the basis of intellect.
I loved the characters... I loved the idea... I cried ridiculously at the end. I didn't like feeling like and idiot while I read it... but I did. Is it absolutely necessary to use the biggest words and philosphical ideas you can think of? If it wasn't for that I would have given it 5 stars.
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Philosophy is definitely not my strong suit, but Barbery does a nice job here of making it accessible and enjoyable to read. Each character is fully realized and you can't help but root for them to find the enjoyment in each other that they richly deserve.
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Jan 11, 2011
Erica
marked it as to-read
Mar 25, 2012
Megan
marked it as to-read
Aug 28, 2012
Sam
marked it as to-read
Dec 21, 2012
grace
marked it as to-read
Dec 25, 2014
Ed
is currently reading it
Jan 07, 2015
Julie
marked it as to-read
Mar 09, 2015
Jen
marked it as to-read
Aug 24, 2018
Cheryl
marked it as started-may-finish
