The Ravishing of Lol Stein

843.912 D952r 1994

Fiction D952r 1986

The writing of Marguerite Duras reminded me of movies such as 'Festen' and 'Melancholia'. It seems detached from reality, empty even, and the more you read, the more the whole book seems to disappear. 'Le Ravissement de Lol V. Stein' is not an easy book to read, but it is a very strong intellectual stimulus. We are talking about an author who wrote a book that had a clear meaning, but then decided to scratch out all the words that assured some clarity.

We are talking about a character that is called Lol V. Stein (not the most sexy name for a character) who likes to be the ignored corner of a triangular relationship. We are also talking about trauma without the presence of pain. In fact, what is this book all about? Lol is left by her husband, but seems to find a sort of perverted pleasure in him taking off with another woman. She then tries to recreate this whole scenario by manipulating the lover of her best friend, who also happens to be the narrator.

I'll come back to this review after I've analysed this book in my French class, but for now, all I can say is that usually I have strong feelings after finishing a book. Either very positive, very negative or very neutral. This book is like the somewhat creepy, silent kid that was always in your class, the faux pas that did have a certain charisma. Very strange, very intruiging. ( )

Esse livro tem uma ideia fantástica: a de que ninguém deveria se curar completamente de sua loucura. Acho incrível como a Marguerite Duras consegue dizer tudo.
“Lol tinha nos precedido. Dormia no campo de centeio, fatigada pela nossa viagem.” ( )

Hit a bit too close to home.

Tragic, heart wrenching, dark, and numbing. Lol Stein is a nobody. A nothing. A shell of a person. ( )