Comments on: ‘Bonjour Tristesse’ by Francoise Sagan (1954) http://scatterbrainlibrarian.co.uk/2008/01/01/bonjour-tristesse-by-francoise-sagan-1954/ Scatterbrain Librarian Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:44:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Abi http://scatterbrainlibrarian.co.uk/2008/01/01/bonjour-tristesse-by-francoise-sagan-1954/#comment-383 Abi Thu, 03 Jan 2008 19:56:33 +0000 http://scatterbrainlibrarian.co.uk/2008/01/01/bonjour-tristesse-by-francoise-sagan-1954/#comment-383 Interesting... I totally agree that it felt like it was written by a teenager and it may be the self-obsession that gives it that feel. I also felt by the end that Cecile and her father were possibly doomed but I saw this as only due to my moral outlook. I felt that Cecile had been set up to be a sympathetic character and that actually she and her father will do just fine, the fact that to me their lives seem empty and shallow and their behaviour selfish and frivolous is perhaps just because I see it that way. However, now that you have pointed it out and I have had a few days to reflect I think there may be some element of criticism by the author present at the end. I won't re-read it just yet but maybe I'll re-visit it at a later stage and let you know what I conclude! Interesting… I totally agree that it felt like it was written by a teenager and it may be the self-obsession that gives it that feel.

I also felt by the end that Cecile and her father were possibly doomed but I saw this as only due to my moral outlook. I felt that Cecile had been set up to be a sympathetic character and that actually she and her father will do just fine, the fact that to me their lives seem empty and shallow and their behaviour selfish and frivolous is perhaps just because I see it that way.

However, now that you have pointed it out and I have had a few days to reflect I think there may be some element of criticism by the author present at the end. I won’t re-read it just yet but maybe I’ll re-visit it at a later stage and let you know what I conclude!

]]> By: Sandy http://scatterbrainlibrarian.co.uk/2008/01/01/bonjour-tristesse-by-francoise-sagan-1954/#comment-378 Sandy Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:09:21 +0000 http://scatterbrainlibrarian.co.uk/2008/01/01/bonjour-tristesse-by-francoise-sagan-1954/#comment-378 When I read this book, I very much felt this was exactly the sort of book that an intelligent and precocious teenager would write. I can't put my finger on why exactly- it certainly doesn't feel silly and juvenile, and is adeptly written- but it feels like a book with a very young author. Maybe it's the intensity and seriousness of Cecile's self-obsession: as we age, we learn to take ourselves less seriously (We also have partners and children who also need caring for). But I'm not entirely sure how much we're meant to sympathise with Cecile: I thought (although it was a couple of years since I read it) that part of the point of the book was how she and her father were doomed- or doomed themselves- to frivolity and selfishness. When I read this book, I very much felt this was exactly the sort of book that an intelligent and precocious teenager would write. I can’t put my finger on why exactly- it certainly doesn’t feel silly and juvenile, and is adeptly written- but it feels like a book with a very young author. Maybe it’s the intensity and seriousness of Cecile’s self-obsession: as we age, we learn to take ourselves less seriously (We also have partners and children who also need caring for). But I’m not entirely sure how much we’re meant to sympathise with Cecile: I thought (although it was a couple of years since I read it) that part of the point of the book was how she and her father were doomed- or doomed themselves- to frivolity and selfishness.

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