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The Beast Within
The Beast Within | Emile Zola
7 posts | 13 read | 14 to read
A superb new translation of one of the most intense and explicit works of the nineteenth-century French master mile Zola considered The Beast Within-also known as La Bte Humaine-to be his "most finely worked" novel. This new translation finally captures his fast- paced yet deliberately dispassionate style. Set at the end of the Second Empire, when French society seemed to be hurtling into the future like the new railways and locomotives it was building, The Beast Within is at once a tale of murder, passion, and possession and a compassionate study of individuals derailed by the burden of inherited evil. In it, Zola expresses the hope that human nature evolves through education but warns that the beast within continues to lurk beneath the veneer of technological progress.
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sisilia
La Bte humaine | Emile Zola
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5😱 This novel reads like a full speed train! Domestic violence, rape, murder, lust, suicide… it has everything! This is Zola with high level of madness; I could feel the horror when he describes the aftermath of a derailment and the Anna Karenina-style of self-destruction. Definitely a book to savour but preferably not during Christmas season 😅

BarbaraBB Fabulous review. I need to read more Zola! 4w
sisilia @BarbaraBB It‘s best to follow Zola‘s recommended reading order 🫶🏻 4w
41 likes2 comments
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sisilia
La Bte humaine | Emile Zola
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Flore embracing the train. I‘ve been thinking about this scene for 2 days now 😖 I wonder what Zola actually observed to be able to write in such descriptive manner. What did you see?

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sisilia
La Bte humaine | Emile Zola
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I was reading the tagged book on the bus on my way to work this morning. I was aware that the guy beside me was staring at my book but I ignored him. About 3 stops before my destination, he couldn‘t resist and said “That‘s a really good book!” He asked me if I‘ve read any other Zola (yes, this is my 15th), and which titles that I haven‘t read yet. He shared that Germinal is his fav, and asked if I‘m doing this as part of a lit study. 👇🏻

sisilia I sheepishly answered that this is my own reading project, as part of my hobby. I don‘t know why I was shy to admit that I‘m such a booknerd 🤓 He said that this was the first time he saw someone reading Zola in this part of the world 🤨 He also asked me if I have read any other French authors. I blurted out Flaubert and Stendhal, and he urged me to check out Andre Gide, whom I‘ve never heard of. 🥰 2mo
sisilia I love having such interaction. Talk books with me and the conversation can last forever. 2mo
TheBookHippie Definitely read Gide!!! 2mo
See All 22 Comments
sisilia Which is your fav @TheBookHippie ? 2mo
TheBookHippie @sisilia I prefer his journals and If It Die…which is autobiographical … then The Immoralist . I think his work is very important (the Nazis burned his books for a reason. To prevent knowledge) he is facinating. 2mo
Texreader What a fun interaction!! I love this! And I love it when it happens to me! 2mo
sisilia @TheBookHippie Omg I think I‘m going to like him 2mo
Ruthiella Great story! 2mo
sisilia @Texreader Yes! It really made my day 💕 2mo
LeahBergen That‘s wonderful! 2mo
TheBookHippie @sisilia I think you will! 2mo
Cathythoughts Lovely picture and story! 2mo
BarbaraBB That is so cool! I still need to read Germinal but loved 2mo
Bookwormjillk Love this story! 2mo
Amiable What a beautiful interaction! 2mo
Liz_M I love Gide's writing! My favorite is tagged. 2mo
sarahbarnes What a wonderful story! 🩵 2mo
AlaMich That‘s a great story! Do you read Zola in French? (edited) 2mo
sisilia @AlaMich Oh no. I know no French words except for “croissant” 🥐😆 It‘s just that Oxford World‘s Classics published some with French titles 😄 2mo
sisilia @Liz_M Thank you! I have to hunt ebay for this one, I think 2mo
sisilia @BarbaraBB Try the les Rougon Macquart series 😆 It‘s been an amazing reading experience for me so far 2mo
BarbaraBB I‘ll look them up! 2mo
52 likes22 comments
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sisilia
La Bte humaine | Emile Zola
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Found this on pinterest 😍 which reflects my mood now

BarbaraBB Gorgeous 🥰 2mo
LeahBergen Beautiful! 2mo
33 likes2 comments
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sisilia
La Bte humaine | Emile Zola
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Just started this today, and Zola served me a very descriptive DV 🥴

About 6 weeks left in 2024, and I have 6 titles left for this series. Can I do it? Can I? 🤪

Daisey That‘s a lot of Zola in 6 weeks. I tend to need a break after one of his books. Good luck! 2mo
Suet624 I bet you can. 2mo
Ruthiella I‘m sure you can do it if you want. But maybe don‘t rush it? Savor them. 2mo
sisilia @Suet624 @Ruthiella Haha yeah, I‘m such a mood reader so let‘s see. I agree with @Daisey , too much Zola in one go is too tiring 2mo
39 likes4 comments
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RiaWritten
The Beast Within | Emile Zola
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Doing research for a project I can‘t talk about yet. Exciting stuff! #vague #sorry

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Kirstin
La Bte humaine | Emile Zola
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#Recommendsday When Zola sets out to write a psychological thriller, he goes all out. Tragedy level: Shakespearean Murder, lust and trains. I choo choo choose it! 🚂 🚂 #planestrainsandautomobiles #photoadaynovember16

35 likes3 stack adds