After reading Annie Ernaux’ Simple Passion, I came across a statement somewhere that this book was similar to Marguerite Duras’ The Lover. This piqued my interest, and I thought I should give The Lover a read at some point. Recently, while considering new French novels to purchase, I discovered an omnibus edition that contained four of Marguerite Duras’ novels - The Square, Moderato Cantabile, 10:30 on a Summer Night, and The Afternoon of Mr. Andesmas. Four novels in one book - it was simply irresistible.

One of my friends had also recommended Moderato Cantabile and 10:30 on a Summer Night, and Moderato Cantabile was also one of the featured books in Lance Donaldson-Evans’ One Hundred Great French Books. So, I knew I had to get this collection. I obtained it last week and completed reading it yesterday. Here is my thoughts on it.

All four novels in the collection shared a common narrative technique. Two strangers, usually a man and a woman, met accidentally in a place such as a park, a café, a bar, or a meadow, and began a conversation. The remainder of the book consisted of this conversation. Sometimes the conversation lasted for a few hours, while at other times it was interrupted and continued the next day, going on for several days. As a result, most of these books were filled with conversations and dialogues. This type of narrative technique is highly appealing to a reader like me. Therefore, I absolutely loved the format of these novels.

Now, let's look at the individual novels. The Square features a traveling salesman and a housemaid who meet by chance in a park. They sit at opposite ends of a bench and strike up a conversation. They talk about their lives and experiences that have deeply touched them. The maid desires to change her life but feels that she can only do so by getting married. The salesman is indifferent to his life and has accepted it. He enjoys traveling and the experience of discovering new cities, although he doesn't think much about his job. The story unfolds as this accidental meeting affects these two people and brings about subtle yet significant changes in their perspectives on life.

Moderato Cantabile is about Anne, who takes her son to a piano class every week. One day, at the café opposite the piano teacher’s house, a man shoots and kills a woman. After the class, Anne starts a conversation with a bystander and discovers that the man and the woman were lovers and the woman was already married. The reason for the shooting is not clearly known. Some people say that she asked him to shoot her, and he did it out of love. The next day, Anne takes her son for a walk to that place, enters the café, and has a glass of wine. A stranger sits next to her, and Anne strikes up a conversation with him. They talk about the dead woman and her lover who killed her and has now been arrested. The stranger buys Anne more wine. After a while, Anne leaves, but she returns the next day. The stranger waits for her. They have wine together and continue their conversation. They keep talking about the two lovers, one of whom is dead. The stranger suggests that they probably met in a café like this and started a conversation accidentally, which later turned into love. As the story progresses, we, the readers, start to get the feeling that Anne’s life is beginning to resemble that of the dead woman more and more. She meets a stranger in a café, has a conversation, starts going to the café regularly, the stranger waits for her and buys her wine, and they continue with the conversation. They also start to feel a connection. Anne is married to a wealthy man and has a son. What will happen next? Will this all end well? Will Anne’s life truly mirror that of the dead woman? The answers to these questions form the rest of the story.

10:30 on a Summer Night begins with a scene that is very similar to the main theme of Moderato Cantabile. There is a woman sitting in a café, having a glass of wine while conversing with a stranger. The stranger tells her about a recent murder in the town. A young woman has been shot and killed by her husband, Rodrigo. When I reached this point in the story, I couldn't wait to find out if this was another version of the story told in Moderato Cantabile, but from a different perspective. However, at this point, the story takes a different turn. This woman, Maria, goes to the hotel where her husband Pierre, her daughter, and her friend Claire are waiting in the lobby. Maria senses that Pierre and Claire are in love, but they try to hide it from her. She is unsure about the future. That night, due to a storm passing over the city, there is a power outage, and everything is dark. There is a murderer on the loose as Rodrigo has not been caught by the police yet. There are policemen everywhere, waiting to nab Rodrigo. Maria is unable to sleep at night, while everyone else is sleeping soundly. She suddenly sees a human-like form on the opposite roof. She realizes that it could be Rodrigo. She calls him gently. After a while, he responds by getting up and waving his hand. Maria asks Rodrigo to wait, goes out, gets her car, goes to the building entrance, and asks Rodrigo to climb down from the roof and come down. He comes down and hides in her car. Maria evades the police patrol and drives out of the city into the countryside. She parks near the fields, and Rodrigo gets out. They have a short conversation. Maria tells him that she has to go back to the hotel. She says that she will come back around noon and get him, and then they can leave the city. Rodrigo nods and then goes to sleep in the fields. Maria returns to the hotel. Will Maria be able to come back and get Rodrigo? Will Rodrigo be able to escape from the police? Will anything happen between Maria and Rodrigo? What will happen between Maria and Pierre? Will Pierre and Claire get together? The answers to these questions form the rest of the story.

The events of The Afternoon of Mr. Andesmas take place over an afternoon. Andesmas is sitting in his chair outside his home, which is located on a hill, dozing away the afternoon. He has an appointment with Michel Arc, who is supposed to come and discuss building a terrace for his house (his daughter Valerie wants the terrace), but Michel has not arrived. After a while, a dog passes through the area, tries to be friendly, wags its tail, and then leaves. Then Michel’s daughter comes and tells him that Michel will be late. Andesmas waits for hours, but Michel still doesn't arrive. Then Michel’s wife arrives with the same message - that Michel will be late. She then comes and sits next to Andesmas, and they have a conversation. The story continues in this manner until the end. Michel does not arrive until the end.

I really liked the first three stories in the book. The Afternoon of Mr. Andesmas did not have the same impact on me. It perhaps reminded me of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, where two people wait for Godot, and nothing happens on the stage, and Godot doesn't arrive until the end. My favorite among the first three was probably the first story, The Square, and this is perhaps because I read it first. If I had read one of the other two first, they might have been my favorite. However, I liked the way all three stories explored the characters’ inner worlds through conversation and dialogue. When we think that nothing is happening in the stories - there are no events, only conversations - we realize when we reach the end of the stories that a lot has happened in the characters’ inner worlds, and the characters have undergone subtle and sometimes significant changes that have transformed them in very important ways. The way Marguerite Duras brings out the intensity of emotion and feeling of her characters not by describing them but through conversations and how through this conversational window she gives us a peek into the core of her characters’ hearts is a defining feature of all the stories. I loved this aspect of the stories.

I will leave you with some of my favorite passages from the book. (all from The Square) “All the things you describe and the changes you notice are there for anyone to see, aren’t they? They are not things which exist for you alone, for you and for no one else?” “Sometimes there are things which I alone can see, but only negligible things. In general you are right : the things I notice are mostly changes in the weather, in buildings, things which anyone would notice. And yet sometimes, just by watching them carefully, such things can affect one just as much as events which are completely personal. In fact it feels as though they were personal, as if somehow one had put the cherries there oneself.” “As for the other kind of fear – the fear of thinking that no one would notice if you died – it seems to me that sometimes this can make one happier. I think that if you knew that when you died no one would suffer, not even a dog, it makes it easier to bear the thought of dying.” “Please don’t think I want to contradict you, but you must see that whatever you do, this time you are living now will count for you one day. You will look back on this desert as you describe it and discover that it was not empty at all, but full of people. You will not escape it. You think this time has not begun, and it has begun. You think you are doing nothing and in reality you are doing something. You think you are moving towards a solution and when you look round you find it’s behind you.” Have you read any of these four novels or any other books by Marguerite Duras? What do you think about them?

Beautiful and strange, this work is deeply attuned to the setting. It explores the unreal and the pressing passage of time, which is often cyclical, yet with small, shattering variations. The narrative seems disembodied, as if floating in a realm of its own. Punctuated by raw, unflinching music and grief, it creates an atmosphere that is both haunting and captivating. The author skillfully weaves together these elements to create a unique and unforgettable experience for the reader. The use of vivid imagery and powerful language brings the story to life, making it feel as if it is unfolding right before our eyes. With each turn of the page, we are drawn deeper into this strange and beautiful world, unable to tear ourselves away.

The Square - 3
This work titled "The Square" holds a certain charm. It might present a unique perspective or explore some interesting themes within its pages.

Moderato Cantabile - 5
"Moderato Cantabile" has received a rating of 5, indicating its high quality. Perhaps it is a piece that captivates the readers with its beautiful prose and engaging narrative.

10:30 on a Summer Night - 3
"10:30 on a Summer Night" is another work with a score of 3. It could be set in a specific time and place, creating a vivid atmosphere that draws the readers in.

The Afternoon of Mr. Andesmas - 3
Finally, "The Afternoon of Mr. Andesmas" also has a rating of 3. Maybe it delves into the life and experiences of Mr. Andesmas, offering insights into his character and the events that unfold during that afternoon.

Overall, these works seem to have their own merits and characteristics, each waiting to be discovered and explored by the readers.

So far, I'm absolutely entranced.

The experience has been truly captivating. Every moment seems to draw me in deeper, as if I'm under a spell.

The details, the nuances, they all contribute to this sense of being completely enraptured.

It's like I've entered a different world, one that holds my attention firmly and refuses to let go.

I find myself completely immersed, unable to tear my gaze away.

The beauty and wonder of it all are simply overwhelming.

I can't wait to see what else lies ahead, for I know that this state of being entranced will only continue to grow and intensify.

Moderato Cantabile is an outstanding work that truly deserves a full 5 stars.

The story is a captivating exploration of human emotions and relationships. It delves deep into the complex psyche of the characters, revealing their joys, sorrows, and hidden desires.

The writing style is elegant and engaging, drawing the reader in from the very first page. The author's use of language is masterful, creating a vivid and immersive world that the reader can easily get lost in.

The characters are well-developed and multi-dimensional, each with their own unique personalities and motives. Their interactions are realistic and believable, adding to the authenticity of the story.

Overall, Moderato Cantabile is a must-read for anyone who appreciates great literature. It is a beautiful and moving work that will stay with you long after you have finished reading. 5 stars well-deserved!

Book Group is currently engrossed in exploring French post-war literature.

Admittedly, initially, I harbored some skepticism towards French literature. However, my perception changed significantly after reading The Square.

Although it was just a conversation that endured for a couple of hours, Duras's use of words was truly captivating. It was as if she was dancing with them, creating a vivid and engaging narrative.

On the other hand, 10:30 on a Summer Night was also interesting, yet it was a little more in line with what I had anticipated. It delved into the emotional and dark aspects of love, with its French setting adding an air of mystery and allure.

Overall, this exploration of French post-war literature has been a rewarding experience, challenging my preconceived notions and introducing me to the unique beauty and depth of French literature.

Although we likely shouldn't segregate 'women writers' into a distinct category and instead simply regard them as writers, I feel compelled to state that Marguerite Duras is my favorite female writer. Muriel Spark is a close contender, but Duras has the advantage. This is because while both possess a highly original perspective on the world and both have excellent prose styles, Duras has an additional quality that I can only describe as 'luminosity'. Her work glimmers, shines, and feels saturated in ancient sunlight. The stories themselves seem to be the shadows cast in this light, the shadows of lives that are hopeful, distressed, abstract, yielding, hungry, somnolent, and feverish.

The first book of hers that I came across, The Sailor from Gibraltar, is one of her early novels. Raymond Queneau later criticized this sequence of works as being too'sentimental'. However, Duras listened to this criticism and responded by changing her style, simplifying it, sharpening it, and transforming it into a powerful tool for psychological and situational analysis.

Yet, I adore that novel and found its message of liberation to be extremely uplifting, despite the dark elements that emerge later in the plot as the price of freedom. But I understand why her later style is so highly praised. It is haunting, beautiful, bittersweet, odd, and tangential. The characters in her stories rarely or never express themselves directly. They circle around the point in a descending or ascending spiral until the meaning becomes clearer. These exchanges may seem like a series of non sequiturs, but they are not. They are quite different from exchanges in the real world and yet feel very accurate and representative of the way people actually communicate.

The first of the four novels in this volume is my favorite among the quartet. I recognize that it is not technically or thematically the best. It is the simplest, a work that is on the verge of transitioning from her older, more conventional (but still highly impressive) style to the new approach she is in the process of inventing. The Square is a conversation between two individuals who are completely different but share a precarious life situation. Both have been crushed and are still being crushed by their circumstances, yet there is hope for them. They create a way out through the force of will, and perhaps the future will be better for both of them. This is a story of suffering with a positive ending.

The second and third novels, Moderate Cantabile and Ten Thirty on a Summer Night, are technically the most perfect in this collection. This is because they are the most plot-driven. The latter is especially complex. Both are about crime and how a desire for liberation can ultimately lead to perversion. In the former, the female protagonist is a victim who wishes to escape her current spiritual agony by changing her oppressor to someone new rather than freeing herself from all pain. In the latter, the female protagonist is more in control, more capable and daring, and more active, although she is limited by the circumstances created by others.

The fourth novel, The Afternoon of Mr Andesmas, is the polar opposite of The Square. A successful man is now very old and approaching death. He is already immobile and has to wait for encounters to come to him. He is rich and complacent, yet the world no longer truly cares about him. There is no hope for him now; his life belongs almost entirely to the past. He sits in the chair that is his prison outside the house he has purchased on the hillside and watches the world as it continues to move him into the past and slowly replaces him with the new, with new people having love affairs, with the young and their own problems, which he can do nothing about because even his acquired wisdom has become powerless.

My favorite story in this collection was The Square.

It was such a simple story, yet it had a profound impact on me. The conversation between two people who had never met and may never meet again was so realistic and touching.

As I read, I could imagine myself in their shoes, having a random encounter with a stranger and sharing a moment of connection.

The story made me realize that even the briefest of interactions can have meaning and value.

It also made me appreciate the power of words and how a simple conversation can change someone's perspective or make their day a little brighter.

Overall, The Square was a beautiful and thought-provoking story that will stay with me for a long time.

I'd rate two of these stories with 4 stars, namely "Moderato Cantabile" and "10:30 on a Summer Night". I'd give "The Afternoon of Mr. Andesmas" 3 stars and "The Square" 2 stars. So, overall, I'd give it a 3-star rating.

These stories are not connected in any way. This means you have the freedom to pick and choose which one you'd like to read according to your own interests.

The introduction provided is very good. It gives a brief overview of what to expect from the collection of stories, which helps the reader to make an informed decision about which story to start with.

Whether you're a fan of short stories or just looking for something new to read, this collection offers a variety of different styles and themes to explore.

Despite the title, I'm not entirely certain that any of these four stories can truly be classified as a novella, let alone a novel. In fact, I believe the longest one clocks in at around 70 pages. Three of these stories are simply dead ass boring and an absolute grind to read. It's the kind of book that seems to leach the joy right out of the reading experience.

However, I must admit that the fourth story, titled "10:30 on a Summer Night," I actually enjoyed. The story follows a boozehound woman and her husband as they are driving across Spain towards Madrid, accompanied by another young woman. When they are forced to stop at a small town due to a heavy thunderstorm, the woman immediately heads to the local bar and has several drinks. There, she hears that there was a double murder just a few hours ago and the killer is still on the loose. She returns to the hotel and tells the others, but they are too busy sneaking off to start an affair and couldn't care less. So, she continues to drink and wander around the hotel. And then, she spots the killer hiding on the roof of the building across the street and decides to help him flee from the cops. This story reminded me of a cross between Malcolm Lowry's "Under the Volcano" and the "Twilight Zone" episode where only one plane passenger can see the gremlin on the wing.

Overall, I give that story four stars and the other three stories here one star each, which averages out to a two-star rating.

The Square - 1 star.

It has a nice premise indeed. There is a conversation between two persons who are completely different, not only in their current situations but also in their aspirations. However, the writing style is just too caustic and stylized. It seems to overemphasize certain aspects, which might turn off some readers.

Moderato Cantabile - 5 stars.

This story is truly remarkable. It feels exactly like a musical piece, constructed with repetitions and variations in a constant, slow crescendo. The narrative is highly engaging, as it tells the story of a woman who is struggling with the intensity of her passions and the violence of their denial. The writing is filled with beautiful imagery, such as the wilting magnolia flower between her breasts. It would undoubtedly make a beautiful short movie.

10.30 On a Summer Night - 5 stars.

The writing in this story is the easiest and best flowing among all these 4 stories. It tells of two love triangles: one that ended in death and the other, perhaps, in acceptance. The way the story unfolds is smooth and captivating, keeping the readers hooked until the end.

The Afternoon of Mr. Andesmas - 2 stars.

This is the story of an aging father and his preoccupation with the love for his daughter. I felt that this one went on a bit longer than necessary. The character was already portrayed perfectly in the first few pages. Nevertheless, it was still a decent read. It had its moments that made you think about the relationship between a father and a daughter.

Here are four short novels by yet another writer who is affiliated with the nouveau roman. These works are truly captivating and at the same time, they have an unsettling quality to them.

The nouveau roman movement, known for its experimental and innovative approach to literature, has produced some remarkable works. This writer, too, seems to have embraced the tenets of this movement, creating stories that challenge the traditional narrative structure and engage the reader in a unique way.

The four short novels offer a diverse range of themes and settings. Some may explore the inner workings of the human mind, while others might delve into the complex relationships between individuals. Each story is likely to have its own distinct style and tone, adding to the overall richness and variety of the collection.

Whether you are a fan of the nouveau roman or simply looking for something different to read, these four short novels are definitely worth checking out. They are sure to leave you with a sense of wonder and perhaps even a bit of unease, as they push the boundaries of what we expect from literature.