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husseinfaour's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
vmbee's review against another edition
4.0
Le plus extraordinaire dans la jalousie, c’est de peupler une ville, le monde, d’un être qu’on peut n’avoir jamais rencontré.
The strangest thing about jealousy is that it can populate an entire city, the whole world, with a person you have never met.
—page 20
-
De fait, la catharsis ne profite qu’à ceux qui sont indemnes de passion.
—26
-
En descendant les marches, je me répétais, c’est trop destroy.
—70
[other notable longer quotes on pages 21, 23, 40, & 58]
second book read in french this year! short in length but intense in emotions, an engrossing reflection on jealousy…
The strangest thing about jealousy is that it can populate an entire city, the whole world, with a person you have never met.
—page 20
-
De fait, la catharsis ne profite qu’à ceux qui sont indemnes de passion.
—26
-
En descendant les marches, je me répétais, c’est trop destroy.
—70
[other notable longer quotes on pages 21, 23, 40, & 58]
second book read in french this year! short in length but intense in emotions, an engrossing reflection on jealousy…
sandro_reads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.0
The Possession, translated from French, is a short memoir by Annie Ernaux and brutally honest about the depths in which love and jealousy can take over one’s life.
Oddly, it reminded me of My Husband by Maud Ventura, a work of fiction - also French, in the way that book dealt with love and obsession. Maybe they really do love differently in France?
Oddly, it reminded me of My Husband by Maud Ventura, a work of fiction - also French, in the way that book dealt with love and obsession. Maybe they really do love differently in France?
jgleasonb's review against another edition
3.0
I’m sorry for only three stars Annie Ernaux
Maybe it’s my own state of mind, maybe it’s the brevity of the text, but reading Occupation didn’t have the same impact as Une Femme or La Place
Maybe it’s my own state of mind, maybe it’s the brevity of the text, but reading Occupation didn’t have the same impact as Une Femme or La Place
wvmeg3's review against another edition
3.0
On this website it is only French but there are many English editions and this book truely portrays the insanity in love and relationships. I love the rare truth that she writes about.
apanneton's review against another edition
Moi qui ai parfois tellement de misère à me défaire de mes petites jalousies, pitoyables & serre-dents, j'ai lu Ernaux en me disant qu'il n'y a rien de plus difficile que d'avouer ce qui nous domine. Ici l'obsession est faiseuse d'histoires, elle trace de profonds sillons de pensée & engloutit les heures, la nuit, quand il faudrait dormir; c'est vrai qu'elle occupe comme une armée. J'ai toujours voulu écrire comme si je devais être absente à la parution du texte. (p. 11) Le livre déblaie, déterminé, tout ce qui resterait d'indignité.
theliteraryescapade's review against another edition
5.0
With each book that I read of hers, I admire Annie Ernaux more.
The Possession is the English translation by Anna Moschovakis of Ernaux's French work L'Occupation.
It is a story about jealousy, and what the devil can reduce a human to, unbeknownst of them.
It's written in first person, and starts with stating that the narrator's lover has disclosed his affections and affinity towards another woman who would be a more significant part of his life, along with the narrator.
This 'other woman' suddenly becomes the narrator's nemesis.
To be fair to the story, instead of the characters that are mentioned without being fully mentioned or disclosed, the feeling of jealousy stands out as the bread winner. That's a weird statement, but the emotion of jealousy feels like the protagonist of the narrative determining the narrator's course of action.
Only Ernaux has the magic in her pen to do so effectively, and unparalleled.
The Possession is the English translation by Anna Moschovakis of Ernaux's French work L'Occupation.
It is a story about jealousy, and what the devil can reduce a human to, unbeknownst of them.
It's written in first person, and starts with stating that the narrator's lover has disclosed his affections and affinity towards another woman who would be a more significant part of his life, along with the narrator.
This 'other woman' suddenly becomes the narrator's nemesis.
To be fair to the story, instead of the characters that are mentioned without being fully mentioned or disclosed, the feeling of jealousy stands out as the bread winner. That's a weird statement, but the emotion of jealousy feels like the protagonist of the narrative determining the narrator's course of action.
Only Ernaux has the magic in her pen to do so effectively, and unparalleled.