Recommended by: Yeah, I’ll admit I picked this up because Robert Pattinson’s in the movie.
Recommended For: Anyone who enjoys French literature, or Madam Bovary. (Or curious twi-fans like me who want to see what the story is about 
)
Bel Ami – Guy de Maupassant
(This review contains plot spoilers!)
Lost in Translation is the phrase that comes to mind when I read this book. Now, I will note that I did purchase this as a free book for the kindle since it was published before 1923. However, I’m beginning to wonder if this version was a “get what you pay for” kind of deal, or are there other better translations available? In the free kindle version the story seemed choppy, as if little but essential details are missing. The dialog reads the same way as well and I think that is purely from the translation. I’m used to reading books written in the 1800′s I know that phrasing was a little more eloquent, so I wasn’t expecting Duroy’s thoughts (or lack there of) and speech to be so basic. Unfortunately there are no reviews for the free kindle version so I couldn’t find out if other readers felt the same way. I started reading the reviews for the $9.99 version on amazon from Penguin Classics instead. Most reviews are positive, the one negative review was written in French and funnily enough was someone complaining about reading French books translated into English. Now I wonder if this novel and the complexities of its main character are simply lost in translation, or is George Duroy simply a one-tracked, methodical seducer with no redeeming qualities?
Despite what I felt of the actual text and what was lacking in character development and dialog I did enjoy this book. In the beginning I did feel a twinge of sympathy for Duroy. He is described as an extremely good looking man (an ex-soldier) who is underemployed and down on his luck financially, but it became pretty clear as the story developed that any morals you thought the character might have had were thrown out the window. Early on Duroy runs into an old military friend, Charles Forestier, and his luck changes. Charles helps him find a position as a journalist at the newspaper ‘La Vie Francaise’. Duroy then befriends his wife Madeleine Forestier, who helps him write his first article and introduces him to the wives of men higher up in the pecking order at ‘La Vie Francaise’, as well as important political figures. Mme. Forestier advises Duroy on who to lavish attention upon. Duroy is clearly manipulative in his affairs and connections and works his way up to become an important political journalist and even to editor. He does this with out regard to whose toes he has to step on or back he has to stab. For example at one point M. Forestier angers Duroy so he attempts to seek revenge by sleeping with his wife, but she rebuffs him and wants to only be friends. Later when M. Forestier dies he immediately proposes marriage to Madeleine and she eventually agrees, but that is only the start of his manipulation of her connections and wealth. He eventually extorts half of her inheritance from her, as law at the time claimed the husband had the right to refuse her taking any of the inheritance at all. Then when he finds an opportunity to move on and marry an even wealthier woman he arranges a magistrate to come with him and catch Madeleine in an adulterous relationship, also a punishable crime at the time. Keep in mind Duroy was never once faithful to his wife during their marriage, but when it was convenient for him to expose her, the one person helped him on his social climb from the start, he had no scruples against doing so. I won’t say anymore but that is just a glimpse of his character.
(Uma Thurman as Mme. Forestier and Robert Pattinson as Georges Duroy)
Now, twifans, if you plan on reading this book because you heard that Bel Ami was about Robert Pattinson’s character having lots of sex keep this in mind: Bel Ami is NOT Lady Chatterley’s Lover. It was another 43 years before that book was published, then immediately censored. But I’m sure in 2011 we will have no problems watching on the big screen what Guy de Maupassant left out of his book (or what might have been left out of my translation…maybe I should learn French ). Also, keep in mind there’s nothing tender, loving or romantic about any of Duroy’s seductions so don’t expect a romantic comedy movie night either.
Please feel free to discuss and share your thought’s I really want to know what you thought of this book, or if you could recommend a better translation because I’d be willing to read it again.
p.s. Bel Ami means good friend, it’s the nickname given to Duroy by his first lover in the book, pretty soon all his lady friends are calling him that, and in the very end his name is replaced with Bel Ami several times.
…Now I love me some muse but when they get all theatrical like this I just cringe…oh well enjoy anyway:
