[.ca] Nana (ISBN 2070369560)

Rotten Gloss of the Empire:
In "Nana", Nana's lovers were: 1. A respectable count 2. His elderly father-in-law 3. A Jewish banker from Frankfurt 4. An actor from "la Variete" theater 5. A count (different from the afore-mentioned) who earns/squanders his fortune on horse races 6. Two brothers (one serves in the army, the other is just a teenage libertine) 7. A provincial cousin of the undermentioned "Figaro" columnist 8. A member of the British royalty 9. Another courtesan It is described how most of them end up in the last paragraph of chapter XIII. Other important participants of this love polygon were: 11. A cynical "Figaro" journal columnist 12. A pimp who employs his own wife as a prostitute 13. Numerous women who earn their living the same way Nana does The novel is very loosely tied with the Rougon-Macquart family tree. We only know (from chapter II) that both of Nana's parents are already dead and all throughout the novel Nana does not get in any contact with her three half-brothers. Only in chapter X, when Nana entertains her guests, she talks a little about her background. However, to find out where Nana came from, one must read "L'Assommoir/the Drum Shop". Some think that the novel is exaggerated almost to the point of grotesque. But the truth is that it is not; it gives an honest portrayal of the French society late under Napoleon III. "Nana" (especially chapter XIV) serves as a great prelude to the novel "la Debacle/the Downfall", though the two are completely different from one another in theme and the former was published in 1880 and is #9 in the R.-M. cycle, whereas the latter was published in 1892 and is #19 in the R.-M. cycle.

Zola's masterpiece:
With l'Assommoir, the best novel by Zola. This story of a young courtisane who breaks all rich men's hearts is a metaphor for the revenge of the working class against the bourgeoisie. Nana avenges the poor in her own way, she never forgets her origins (and they won't let her forget), and that is what will be her downfall, eventually. I also highly recommend the TV miniseries 'Nana' with Véronique Genest, broadcast in the 80's (available on amazon.fr). You'll agree that generally, film adaptations of novels are disappointing, in that case it's not. The adaptation is brilliant and perfectly captures the novel's atmosphere; the actress Veronique Genest incarnates a wonderful Nana, very faithful to the essence of the character. But read the novel first!

Nana.:
I found the book well written and enjoyable. So much so I have purchased and will read the other books from the cycle (Series). It's evident why numerous books written by Zola have remained classics for so many years.

It's frightening how dreadfull to read a book can be!:
This is by far the WORST AND POOREST book I've ever read. Any normal human being (or animal)who has read this book will either become mad and kill himself or throw it from the highest floor of the nearest building after having rippen it to pieces (I also burned it). I have read a lot of books in my life (I read 4 books/week since I'm 9) and this is the only one I've destroied!! It's horrible and I'm now sure that Zola was completely out of his mind!!! Nana is a completely stupid and horrible 18-year old girl who can't do anything else than prostitute herself and destroy others lives and who (God thank you) dies like all her family in the other books. The book is SO BORING!!!!!! You really want to die to stop reading it!!! And it's long.. There doesn't happen anything during the whole book, which is almost 700 pages long!! I read it in French, I hope it's better in English for the poor souls who will have to read it. Zola is well-known because he writes "well", meaning he uses methaphores and other special constructions, but can you imagine 700 pages full of words you don't understand and complicated structures??!! It's like hell. The book is a critizism of the Second Empire, politics, and how society works. It's a naturalist novel and heredity is the most important fact. Now we know that all the theory of heredity is false, so this novel is completely out-of-date. I hope you will never have to analyse Nana, because it's almost impossible, I tried!!!! (for school of course). IF YOU WANT TO LIVE LONG AND HAPPY, DON'T BUY OR READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!!

Disregard the blabbermouth Cameron Kennedy:
"Nana", the exquisite novel by Emile Zola, being the ninth volume in his Rougon-Macquart cycle, is by far the one book that solidified M. Zola's reputation as a naturalist. His almost life-like prose that excells in evoking vast croud scenes and near-realistic settings make the novel so realistic that I felt I was right in front of the action taking place. The decadence of the Second Empire has been well portrayed by the courtesan Nana, a tart who swallows the wealth of the aristocrats who fall for her. The novel is also very symmetical with the rise and fall of Nana, depicting Nana the actress in the first past and the prostitute in the second. Written in clear prose, this work is A must read for all those lovers of 19th century french literature. One advice: do NOT be misled by the words of cranks and scribblers who defame books so barbarously...they know NOTHING and are BLIND to good qualities of such works of art. Cameron Kennerdy is a such good-for-nothing that all must keep away from. Listen to me, a student of Bio-psychological Sciences and a patron of the arts.