Genres: Psychology, Psychological novel
My rating 4 stars
In a dingy apartment on the Passage du Pont-Neuf in Paris, Thérèse Raquin is trapped in a loveless marriage to her sickly cousin, Camille. The numbing tedium of her life is suddenly shattered when she embarks on a turbulent affair with her husband’s earthy friend Laurent, but their animal passion for each other soon compels the lovers to commit a crime that will haunt them forever. Thérèse Raquin caused a scandal when it appeared in 1867 and brought its twenty-seven-year-old author a notoriety that followed him throughout his life. Zola’s novel is not only an uninhibited portrayal of adultery, madness, and ghostly revenge, but also a devastating exploration of the darkest aspects of human existence.
My opinion
The book started off a little slow but really picked up and I was drawn into the story. It was a story easy to follow, the characters were such that it was hard to like any of them. You want to feel sorry for Therese and Laurent is detestable. Madame and Camille Raquin have little to evoke any sympathy. There is no real love in this story of friends, family & lovers....only selfish needs and wants. Not one of the deplorable characters in this book shows any real hope of becoming a decent moral person. Still the story is good
What I didn't like is overall dark and depressing nature of the book, but I must add that Zola did excellent job in describing the inner battles of two poor souls, Therese and Laurent
The novel is melodramatic.As for the four main characters, three of them die by the end of the novel, and the surviving one is paralyzed for ever, unable to move a muscle, only tears fall on her cheeks watching her "dear children" committing suicide after killing her only son Camille.
I would certainly call this book a horror story because it was terrifying to watch these people destroy each other and all those they brought down with them.
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