The Classics
Salon is another weekly meme, hosted by Mangoes and Cherry Blossoms, to discuss
or blog about current classics that we are reading. This post should be
published on Friday, however I was so hectic around Easter, that I missed it
until today. OK, I’m four days late, but it’s better late than never, isn’t it?
Plus it is a good idea to boost my blogging mood.
The question
for the first Salon is:
What are your first impressions of the current classic you are reading?
I am now
reading Zola’s Germinal for Zoladdiction 2015. It is my second read, but my
first one was three years ago, so it feels like I’m reading a fresh novel but already
knew how it would end, and some of the characters were quite familiar.
Starting a
novel for the second (or more) time is a unique experience, specifically when
it is your most favorite book, on which you have high expectations of a great
reading. I feel the same way with Germinal, but I promised myself to take more
time in this reread to devour things I have probably missed on my first read.
So, since the beginning I have been paying more attention to the main character,
Étienne Lantier. I have praised him after my first read; and even made him my
most favorite book boy friend for Book Kaleidoscope 2012. My first impression
on him was an adorable and brave young man (I quite forgot why I loved him!).
Now that I
am following him, I realized that Étienne is an indecisive man. He couldn’t
decide whether he supposed to ask for job upon arrival at the Voreux, jobless
and penniless as he was. He has a crush for Catherine; he is jealous of Chaval,
yet always keeps a distance from Catherine (out of shyness?). Apart from the
indecisiveness, so far I am pleased with Étienne, he is a hard-worker and polite.
Although he inherited the intolerance to drinks from his drunkard parents, he
could refrain himself well enough.
Other than
that, Germinal is mostly regarded as Zola’s masterpiece. Now I see more clearly
why; it is the way he wove his sentences. Each chapter is always ended so
beautifully and satisfyingly, that you’d be torn between staying where you were
and devouring it, or continuing to the next as you were excited of what will
happen next. I remember that the ending was great, but now let me enjoy each
sentence with its own little greatness. Oh….I think I’m going to fall in love
more deeply with Germinal after this!
Have you
read Germinal? What do you think of it?