BOOK REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION: BEL-AMI BY GUY DE MAUPASSANT

 Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! How are you doing? Today I'm happy to share with you another book review and this time I'll be reviewing a famous classic: Bel- Ami, a novel by Guy de Maupassant.  Some of you might remember that I hold this French writer in high esteem.  Considered the father of the modern short story, Guy de Maupassant is possibly best known for his shorter prose works (he wrote about 300 short stories and is considered a master of the form). However, Maupassant also wrote three novels. I personally enjoyed both his stories and novels. If you remember, I devoted a post to his novel Mont-Oriol. I've read an awful lot of Maupassant  (several collections of his short stories and the above mentioned novel) and I was always left wanting more. Classics do tend to make my soul sing, but some authors are still dearer to me than others and that is the case with Maupassant. Seeing that I've always enjoyed his writing immensely, I was looking forward to reading Bel-Ami. Indeed, one could say that I had very high expectations when it came to his perhaps most critically reclaimed novel - Bel- Ami! A fun fact: this novel was published exactly one hundred years before my birth. As for the outfit I have chosen to go along this review, it is from my unpublished blog archives (all of these clothing items I still have, wear and love).

BEL- AMI, A NOVEL BY GUY DE MAUPASSANT 5/5

Let me start by saying: Bel- Ami is a true masterpiece. I'm happy to report that this novel fulfilled my expectations in the best way possible. Never have I liked a novel featuring an immoral protagonist as much. I tend to have issues connecting with a book if I don't like the protagonist, but this time it wasn't the case. Possibly because this novel isn't really about the protagonist Bel-Ami, or rather, not just about him but about the French (or more precisely Parisian) society of the time. As a young girl, I adored Balzac (and I still love him) but as an adult woman I perhaps treasure Maupassant over all the other great French writers. There is something in his pessimism that I find surprisingly uplifting. In the best of his naturalistic writing, Maupassant lifts a veil over us humans and let us see ourselves for what we often are: instinct driven social animals. It is a painful view, for sure, but there is something wonderfully honest about it, something educating and paradoxically even uplifting. It is as if the writer puts a finger at many of dilemmas that bother us. I think being naive is something we are all often guilty of and when there is a writer who shows us a harsher but a more realistic view of the world, it can be quite liberating. Speaking of the realistic portrayal of things, Maupassant is know for being a representative of naturalist school of writing, meaning that he takes realism one step further and shows things in a disillusioned even pessimistic way. 

BEL- AMI IS A STORY OF A SCOUNDREL BUT ONE THAT IS VERY ENGAGING TO READ

In Bel-Ami, Maupassant proved himself to be an excellent social observer and commentary. Set in late 19th century Paris, Bel-Ami is a story of a scoundrel. It really is. That much we can see from the start because the word scoundrel is actually the part of the title, for the full title reads: " Bel- Ami: or the History of a Scoundrel. " Very descriptive title, wouldn't you agree? When the story opens, our protagonist George Duray is a poor young man, who having left the French colonies and the army, tries to find his luck in Paris. Soon nicknamed Bel-Ami (for his good looks), he climbs the social ladder with stubbornness that is hard not to admire despite his almost complete lack of morals, for if Bel-Ami is immoral, so are the others. As Bel- Ami becomes gentlemen Du Ray, he learns the social rules he needs to learn in order to be successful. One doesn't have to be intelligent or educated to climb the social ladder, being cunning is often enough. Bel-Ami, the boy from the province, seems cunning enough. Plus, Bel-Ami is willing to profit from his ability to charm women- of all ages. The women in this novel are fascinating characters, much more interesting that the protagonist himself. That didn't surprise me, for I know Maupassant as an wonderful portraitist of the female soul.

STRONG AND INTELLIGENT FEMALE CHARACTERS

I would say that the best thing about this novel are two strong female characters: Madeleine and Clotilde. I would say their portrayal was quite bold for those times. In particular, the two young ladies  that are love interests of the protagonists are anything but timid and modest. The young ladies smoke, drink, write, take lovers, plot  and scheme. They are not moral, but then again neither is George Duray. What makes them different from him (especially Madeleine) is that they are a bit more intelligent and educated. However, Du Ray is more cunning and has the advantage of being a man- something that sometimes makes it easier for him to climb the social ladder. In fact, George Duray wouldn't have become gentlemen Du Ray without the definite help of one of them. When George first starts working as journalist, it is Madeleine that writes his articles. At the time Madeleine was a wife of someone else, but she liked George and took him under her wing. It is interesting to have a novel where there is a female protagonist who is more clever (and a better writer) then the protagonist. At one later point in the novel, it is shown that Madeleine has taken another young man under his wing and is writing in his name. So, basically she is a writer with original ideas who has found a way to get her thoughts printed- through her lovers. I found her portrayal quite interesting.  This is a novel where you rarely have a feeling that someone is taking advantage of somebody because you start to realize that everyone is in some way taking advantage of somebody.  Yes, there is some cruelty but there really isn't any typical love drama. For instance, at one moment George treats one mature married lady he has a relationship with rather cruelly but it is hard to sympathize with her because she is so superficial.  When it comes to Du Ray relationship with the other ladies, there is more a feeling of being on equal terms. They all want something from one another. There are no innocents. I found that view rather refreshing. No damsels in distress in this one, but rather ladies who know what they want and aren't afraid to reach for it. George Duray is an attractive youth and he makes the most out of his looks and charm. The fact that his rise to power is through women shows that women have a secret power in society. Some of them are just as interested in business and other things as men are, but these women find alternative ways to do business, often through their husbands. Moreover, women do have a certain kind of social power. A power George Duray (later Du Ray) learns to make the most of. 

AN AMAZING SOCIAL COMMENTARY IN A WELL PLOTTED NOVEL

This novel isn't short, but it is easy to read. It kept my interest throughout. Having finished Bel-Ami, I had a feeling I had read a much shorter work for the whole story seemed to just fly before my eyes. The prose flows so effortlessly. I simply couldn't get enough of the characters and their interactions. The plot makes sense and the writing is engaging. Bel-Ami is not solely a plot driven novel, though, although it may seem so.  The plot is well written for sure, but there is more to this story than just following a climb to the top (as dramatic as it might get at times).  This is the kind of book that rewards a reader who is really ready to pay attention. For example, you have to keep your focus on the writing to catch all the witticism and the clever jokes, but  if you do, you will enjoy this novel all the more. Indeed, this is one of those books that more that rewards its reader for his attention. The social commentary in Bel-Ami is extremely well done. You will quite possibly find yourself very interested in the fate of the immoral protagonist, even if you try to fight it- and even if you dislike him. The writing is so natural, it makes it hard for you to hate anyone in particular. What you get to see is perhaps a portrait of a society reflected in a group of people and their weaknesses- and who is to judge them? Bel-Ami is full of twists and turns, but even more than that, it is interesting for its implications. Will Bel-Ami achieve his goals or will he fall victim to his own greed?  Indeed, this novel opens so many questions. What is enough? Why do we always want more? What is right and what is wrong?

Have you read this one? Do you have any classics to recommend? Thank you so much for stopping by, reading and/or commenting. Have a lovely day and take care.