A wealthy, married woman delves beneath the surface and boundaries of her life while sipping wine. Moderato Cantabile is like an impressionist painting, with everything indistinct, blurred, and distorted, as if seen through veils. This book might be better grasped emotionally rather than intellectually, and it's definitely not for those addicted to the plot. However, for those who relish literary analysis, it offers a wealth of food for thought, depths to explore, and threads to untangle. It would make an excellent thesis topic.

Marguerite Duras' writing is concise, sparse, and austere. It is restrained and controlled. The story is intense and focused, leading up to a crucial emotional moment, a visceral epiphany that anchors the narrative. The book is modern and allusive, yet it's not hard to fathom the story of a wealthy woman living on the Mediterranean who desires to venture beyond her present life, but is aware of the tragic outcome of taking that risk even before she starts.

Class, women's roles, appearance, intoxication, individualism – these are just a few of the issues explored during a single week as a young mother accompanies her son and engages in tentative discussions while drinking wine with a working-class man. Throughout Moderato Cantabile, there is a growing tension, suspense, a sense of stalking, and a fear of violence. In a kind of authorial magic, all the elements function simultaneously as symbols and as all-too-real, complex, flesh-and-blood people. Duras has paradoxically created something both intricate and deceptively simple. There are no clichés, nothing is predictable. It is quietly, subtly, and atmospherically thought-provoking. [5★]

Anne Desbaresdes persists in smiling and remaining silent.

The man has made up his mind to leave the garden and stroll towards the outskirts of the town. As he progresses, the fragrance of the magnolias gradually fades, being replaced by the aroma of the sea.

Anne Desbaresdes will consent to have a little coffee ice cream, merely for the sake of maintaining appearances.

In spite of himself, the man retraces his steps. Once again, he catches sight of the magnolias, the railings, and the bay windows in the distance, still illuminated, still shining. On his lips, the song he heard that afternoon lingers, and the name that he will pronounce a little louder this time. He will come.

She is well aware of it. The magnolia at her breast has completely withered. In just one hour, it has experienced an entire summer. Sooner or later, the man will pass by the garden. He has arrived. She continues to torment the flower at her breast.

A motorboat passed in the frame of the open window. The child, turned towards the sheet music, hardly moved - only the mother knew - while the boat navigated through his blood. The muffled purring of the motor could be heard throughout the city. Recreational boats were rare. The pink of the dying afternoon set the whole sky on fire. Other children, somewhere, at the docks, stood still looking.

Anne Desbaresdes is a wife who lives for her son. Every week she accompanies her son to his piano lessons, near the docks, in a room with a view of the sea. At the end of one of these lessons, a cry, a lament and a commotion are heard in the café on the ground floor of the building. In the dark interior of the café is a murdered woman, with her assassin lying beside her, lamenting her loss. What led him to kill the woman he loved? Was it a crime of passion or revenge? Was it prearranged between the two? These and more questions lead Anne to use her son's piano lessons as a pretext to return to the café, talking with Chauvin, a witness to this murder, just like her. The two try to imagine the love relationship between the assassin and the assassinated.

I confess that I did not fully understand all the complexity of this short novel, but there was something that caught my attention and did not allow me to continue until the end of the novel. I really liked the kind of relationship that developed between Anne and Chauvin, as well as its ending. I also liked the descriptions present in the book; although short, they are extremely visual, and I always felt bathed in the golden light of the end of the day, so often present in the novel.

This was my first novel by this author, but without a doubt it will not be the last.

I have just finished rereading "Moderato Cantabile" by Marguerite Duras. Yes, it is a rereading because evidently the first time I didn't understand much. I wasn't ready, I didn't pay attention.

It's not really a story as nothing happens. It's a chance encounter in a bar, a recognition that lasts ten days.

Something happened offstage, during a piano lesson. A woman was killed in a bar, something perverse.

The scene that presented itself before Anne's eyes was as if it woke her from a long sleep. Anne begins to ask questions and seek answers in a stranger, Chauvin, in front of many glasses of wine.

Anne is married, has a beautiful house, an intelligent son: everything flows harmoniously in her life until one day she discovers what passion can really be.

And the desire pursues her, she explores it. The beautiful defined words with which she usually surrounds herself, made of duties and expectations to be satisfied, become ambiguous. The gestures reveal the unsaid in a hallucinatory emotional crescendo involving the reader who at times remains uncertain, unable to understand if everything that he understands is really happening or is only the fruit of his imagination.

The climax of tension Duras reaches during the elegant dinner at Anne's house: she is unappetizing, distracted, drunk. Chauvin is outside, walking, restless.

In their distance, they have never been so close, never been so united, unconsciously accomplices.

In this story, the actions are not important, the words are, even more so the silences, the unanswered questions. It is the task to continue the narration.

In my brief journey as a student of French, I have come across several quintessentially French elements in this book and other French works I've read.

Firstly, there's the repressed wife yearning for sexual liberation. She often finds solace in excessive drinking of red wine, a behavior shared by others as well.

Her husband, who just doesn't "get it," is usually not overtly evil but rather just exists, which can be equally frustrating. Bonus points if he remains unnamed, emphasizing his uselessness.

The young child, loved by the sexually repressed wife despite representing the oppressive lifestyle she wishes to escape, also adds to the complexity. Extra points if the child too is unnamed, highlighting their symbolic importance.

The climactic scene, where the repressed wife reveals her feelings to the horror of dinner guests or family members, is a common trope.

And of course, everyone speaks French, which can be quite a challenge for me.

Additionally, there's a heavy-handed condemnation of the bourgeois lifestyle.

I might just create a bingo board with these elements to make my reading experience even more interesting.

Sinceramente, no pensaba que me fuera a gustar mucho.

The synopsis didn't appeal to me. I had read reviews of people commenting that the author's prose is very poetic and well...

But surprise surprise, it has been a success.

Each character represents a human quality. The professor represents repression and discipline; the child represents freedom; and the mother is the central axis, full of longings and restlessness.

It is a light read and highly recommended.

This book has managed to capture my attention despite my initial doubts. The way the author portrays the characters and their relationships is truly remarkable.

The story flows smoothly, and I found myself completely immersed in the world she has created.

Even though it is a light read, it still manages to convey deep and meaningful messages about human nature and our desires.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an enjoyable and thought-provoking read.

I want to sleep.

This is a common sentence but for me, the emphasis is always on the first verb. I want. I want to sleep but I can't, that is, I can't fall asleep. I have to hope. I count the imaginary sheep of the world until my eyelids become heavier. Now I have fallen into a long state. These sleepless moments are taking everything from my dreams. I want to stand up in the absolute darkness and hit the whole room, throw the books out of the window, set my clothes on fire and as I lie stretched out in the middle of the room trying to sleep, I burn in the fire and become ashes. Becoming ashes.

Perhaps the answer to many of the blacks of these days is just this, becoming ashes. Then it must be that the wind comes and takes my ashes away. Now it doesn't have to be to a special or important place, just being with the wind and flying is the problem itself. Becoming ashes, going into the air, disappearing, each part being thrown in a different direction, becoming one with the world and becoming nothing. As if the seed of grief sitting in the chest must be relieved by this fire that destroys all of your existence. This world is more decaying than these words that in front of the shapeless giant and the tail of grief, it can have a word to say. These moments must bring death with their help. Gather the simplicity of man and his grief and his remains and take them and burn them.

Death, hello. This fatherless grief has been born and raised in my veins and roots and has sown its seed wherever it goes. It's not about asking and these things, it's just a wish. I am sitting behind the door, you can knock on the door as you like, the moment won't last long until I insert the key. These days you are the most beautiful guest who has been invited to the feast of my life. Don't leave my invitation unanswered. I'm sincere.

A lady of high society with the strict lines of her daily life, suffocating within the boundaries of her existence and strikingly unrestrained. A crime of passion will unearth her personal truths. The personal emotional dead end that she herself experiences and that in the end she does not hesitate to shatter her stylized image, because of her impassioned dead end...

She is trapped in a world that demands conformity and perfection. Every move she makes is calculated, every word she utters is rehearsed. But deep inside, there is a turmoil of emotions that she can no longer suppress. The crime of passion becomes the catalyst that forces her to face the reality of her life. It strips away the façade she has carefully constructed and reveals the vulnerable woman beneath. As she confronts her personal truths, she begins to question everything she has ever known and believed. Will she be able to break free from the constraints of society and find true happiness?

Only time will tell as she embarks on this journey of self-discovery and redemption.

In a certain coffee shop, a man kills his dearest. Anne Desbaresdes, whose son attends a piano lesson near the coffee shop, sees the man in horror through the window.

The next day, Anne comes back to the coffee shop and, while sipping wine, gets into a conversation with a man who also witnessed the events of the previous day.

They talk more and more, seeking answers to questions behind the wine glasses...

Once again, it is a slowly paced story that is a pleasure to read.

This short narrative creates an atmosphere of mystery and intrigue. The description of the events in the coffee shop and the encounter between Anne and the other man leaves the reader curious about what really happened and what the motives could be.

The use of simple language makes it accessible and engaging, inviting the reader to follow along and try to solve the puzzle along with the characters.

Overall, it is a captivating piece that leaves a lasting impression.

A good novel is one that doesn't forcefully oppose the bourgeoisie at all costs. The story's handling and portrayal are quite astonishing.

This particular novel seems to have a unique charm. It doesn't take a one-sided and extreme stance against the bourgeoisie. Instead, it presents a more nuanced and complex view.

The way the story is developed and the images are painted are truly captivating. It makes the reader think and reflect on various aspects of society and human nature.

Overall, it can be considered a remarkable work that offers a fresh perspective and engages the reader on multiple levels.

I truly have a deep affection for Duras' dissociative and cold style.

It is indeed extremely enjoyable to contemplate the films that have been inspired by or are in conversation with it.

I still have a much greater preference for The Ravishing of Lol Stein which follows this one. I believe there are many similarities.

I also found it quite amusing that this is ultimately a winemom drama.

Once again, I am earnestly asking... is it Lacanian? And what does Lacanian mean again?

To expand further, Duras' unique style creates a sense of detachment that draws the reader or viewer in, making them question their own perceptions and emotions.

The idea of films being influenced by her work adds another layer of complexity and interest, as it shows the far-reaching impact of her writing.

The comparison between this work and The Ravishing of Lol Stein allows for a deeper exploration of the themes and motifs that run through Duras' oeuvre.

The concept of a winemom drama adds a touch of humor and relatability to the work, making it more accessible to a wider audience.

Finally, the question of whether the work is Lacanian and what that means is an important one, as it delves into the realm of psychoanalysis and theory, adding yet another layer of depth to the discussion.

POV: You give two stars to the book you have read because you haven't understood anything.

This could be a frustrating experience. Maybe the language was too complex, or the concepts were presented in a way that was difficult to follow. It's possible that you didn't have the necessary background knowledge to fully comprehend the text.

Giving two stars indicates that you had some level of dissatisfaction with the book. However, it's important to note that everyone's reading experience is unique. What one person finds confusing, another may find enlightening.

Perhaps you could try reading the book again, this time with more focus and attention. You might also consider looking up unfamiliar words or concepts to gain a better understanding. Additionally, discussing the book with others who have read it could provide different perspectives and help clarify any misunderstandings.

In conclusion, while giving two stars to a book may seem negative, it can also be an opportunity for growth and learning. By reflecting on your reading experience and taking steps to improve your understanding, you can enhance your enjoyment of future books.