La Fayette, Marie-Madeleine

The Princess of Cleves: Contemporary Reactions, Criticism (Norton Critical Editions)
Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
  • Poor translation
  • An unusual love story
  • Pointless
  • Superb chivalric romance plus psychological depths
The Princess of Cleves: Contemporary Reactions, Criticism (Norton Critical Editions)
Madame de La Fayette , and Marie Madeleine De Lafayette
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

19th Century19th Century | British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
FrenchFrench | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
HistoricalHistorical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0393963330

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Poor translation.......2002-11-07

I was reading away happily at the original French version (struggling occasionally over some of the older vocabulary) until I realised I really didn't have enough time (essay due in tomorrow evening), so I quickly nipped round to a friend and borrowed this translation.

And it's not good, people, not good.

While parts of it have travelled quite nicely from French over to English, a lot of it is very badly done - some word for word tranlations and FAR too many repetitions of words. For example, I'm sure I came across 'agitation' three times on one page, and I can tell you I ended up more agitated than Mlle de Chartres ever would be after trying to scrape my way through it.

Needless to say, I'll be allowing more time to read these books beforehand so that I don't have to delve into another poorly translated version again.

Get it in French.

4 out of 5 stars An unusual love story.......2000-05-11

This book is written in an unusual format, almost at a remove from the main character. This however, only serves to heighten the passion of the doomed lovers. In some ways it reminds me of mme de tourvil in dangerous liaisons. Unable to help herself falling in love. Knowing she was doing the wrong thing, and hurting the people who love her most, but unable to stop.

I really enjoyed this book,and I'm sure I'll read it again one day. Apparently this is the only decent book this author ever wrote, the rest being pretty unreadable. If you want a historical novel written in an historical period itself then try this.

2 out of 5 stars Pointless.......2000-02-08

Allegedly the music is lost in the translation, and since the novel reads like an encyclopedia entry i wouldnt bother unless you have no choice. Such and such married such and such who begat so and so... Almost absent of conflict and plot. I'm sure its 'important' literature, but leave it for those who care.

5 out of 5 stars Superb chivalric romance plus psychological depths.......1999-04-07

Princess de Cleves may on the surface seem like another court romance but the delicacy in which the writer portrays the feelings of her characters is extraordinary. There actually two levels to the story, on one level, it can just be read as a romance, and on the second level, it seems to be mocking the genre. The ending was incredible in that the reasons for the main character's final choice can be seen as both moral and life-defeating. It's hard to explains how without spoiling so please just go and read the book itself! It's short and extremely readible.
La Fayette, Madame de (Marie-Madeleine Pioche de La Vergne), 1634-1693
Average customer rating: Not rated
    La Fayette, Madame de (Marie-Madeleine Pioche de La Vergne), 1634-1693
    Madame de (Marie-Madeleine Pioche de La Vergne) (1634-1693). Ashton, Harry (1882-) tr. David, Hermine (1886-) illus. La Fayette
    Manufacturer: London, The Nonesuch Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover
    ASIN: B000H4850G
    The Princess of Cleves Introduction by Jean Cocteau
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      The Princess of Cleves Introduction by Jean Cocteau
      Marie Madeleine, comtesse de La Fayette
      Manufacturer: Nonesuch Press
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover
      ASIN: B000ONTZAO
      La Princesse de Clèves et autres romans
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        La Princesse de Clèves et autres romans
        Marie-Madeleine de La Fayette
        Manufacturer: Adamant Media Corporation
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

        HistoricalHistorical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
        FrenchFrench | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
        All French BooksAll French Books | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
        ASIN: 0543898865
        Release Date: 2001-06-04
        Histoire d\'Henriette d\'Angleterre: Avec une introduction par Anatole France
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Histoire d\'Henriette d\'Angleterre: Avec une introduction par Anatole France
          Marie-Madeleine de La Fayette
          Manufacturer: Adamant Media Corporation
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback

          GeneralGeneral | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
          FrenchFrench | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
          NonfictionNonfiction | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
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          ASIN: 0543922804
          Release Date: 2001-05-28

          Book Description

          This Elibron Classics book is a facsimile reprint of a 1882 edition by Charavay frères éditeurs, Paris.

          Authors:

          1. Lackey, Mercedes
          2. Lafferty, R. A.
          3. Pär Lagerkvist
          4. Lagerkvist, Pär
          5. Selma Lagerlöf
          6. Lagerlöf, Selma
          7. Lahiri, Jhumpa
          8. Lamb, Charles
          9. Lamb, Wally
          10. Lamming, George

          Authors

          Authors