Je suis content que ce soit plus que ce à quoi je m’attendais.
Je pense que l’idée qui est à la base du livre est intéressante et intelligente. Paradoxalement, cependant, cette grande idée est à la fois sa plus grande force et son plus grand point faible.
L’idée d’une métamorphose qui se produit sept fois est assez accrocheuse car ces réincarnations se produisent dans des espaces et des temps différents. Aucune réincarnation ne se déroule à la même époque ou civilisation.
L’exécution est vraiment importante ici, car avoir sept histoires avec la même fin peut s’avérer répétitif et ennuyeux. Donc, vous devez garder les choses fraîches et nouvelles. Et, Rebreanu y parvient à peine, car certaines des histoires correspondent exactement à ce que vous attendez d’elles, et d’autres sont incroyablement particulières. (voir spoiler)
Tout au long du livre, nous rencontrons nos sept couples d’amoureux qui sont, à chaque fois, séparés par des causes diverses.
Setting: Hastinapur, India, ~500 BCE.
Him: Mahavira, an Indian shepherd.
Her: Navamalika, a virgin promised to King Arjuna.
The End: Navamalika, has to become pure before giving her innocence away to King Arjuna, so, accompanied by a convoy of maidens and guards, proceeds to the river Gange, known for his spiritual importance. Mahavira finds out about her being promised to the King, and rushes for her embrace. The maidens start shouting at the sight of Mahavira embracing Navamalika, alarting the guards. Mahavira becomes imprisoned until the following morning, in which, he is brutally murdered.
Pair #2
Setting: Nu-Ptah, Abotu; Ancient Egypt
Him: Unamomu, an Nomarch.
Her: Isit, lover of Pharaoh Dadefra.
The End: Unamomu and the other Nomarchs declared war against Dadefra, which was considered to be a weak Pharaoh. Seconds before reaching the love of his life, Unamomu is mortally wounded by an archer.
Pair #3
Setting: Babilu, Nippur;Mesopotamia, ~1700-1600 B.C.
Him:Gungunum, son of the great Pidur Libur.
Her:Hamma, daughter of Ahnuri.
The End: Iluma-Ilum captured the town of Nippur, and with it, Gungunum. He finds out that Hamma is still alive after her father, Ahnuri, died in the war and she was captured, becomig Iluma-Ilum’s woman. Gungunum’s servant, Ululai, arrives with the money that would grant Gungunum’s freedom. Though, after failing to capture the stronghold of Kiş, Iluma-Ilum decides to satisfy his thirst of blood by killing all the prisoners from Babilu.
Pair #4
Setting: Antium,Rome; Roman Empire, ~42 B.C(Time of Tiberius)
Him: Axius Saturnius, born to Nigidus Saturnis, roman knight.
Her: Servilia, servant of Chrysilla Autronia, Axius’s wife.
The End: After Axius’s long journeys, he returns home to his wife asking about Servilia. Her wife was a proud and jealous woman, so she rushes and kills Servilia with a little dagger. Axius cuts his own veins with the same dagger, while having a bath.(which turned out to be a bath of blood.)
Pair #5
Setting: Lorsch Abbey today part of Germany
Him: Adeodatus(Hans), son of Michel Boehim. Gained the name of Adeodatus after devoting his life to God, becoming a monk.
Her: Virgin Mary.(or better put, her icon)
The End: The icon breaks and Adeodatus dies after his encounter with Satan.
Comment: This is a really weird one. And whilst it breaks the obvious line by introducing the icon of Virgin Mary as his lover, in the end, it never makes sense. They could’ve never been together as she was living in another time. And even if they would have lived in the same time, I think their possible love would have had some impacts on Christianity, in a way. It would’ve been more interesting to introduce Adeodatus in the times of Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ, which would have made their impossible love more plausible.
Pair #6
Setting: Arras; Paris, France. ~1789(Storming of the Bastille)
Him: Gaston Duhem, atheist, doctor, and supporter of the Republique.
Her: Yvonne Collignon of Gargan, a 18-year old « martyr ».
The End: Yvonne is trialed by Lebon. Gaston acts foolishly, trying to prove Yvonne’s innocence without facts or without even knowing her.He protests, only to suffer the same fate she does. Beheading.
Comments: By far my favourite part of the book. Although it felt unlike the others, as in my opinion, it didin’t quite fit with the other six ones. Gaston meets Yvonne in the last 3 pages of the chapter, unlike the others that have a great passion that stands the test of time. As a chapter, as I said, this is my favourite one. But as piece of a whole, it doesn’t fit. It’s like in the puzzle that is Adam şi Eva this chapter is a piece that barely fits. Which serves as a disadvantage.
Pair #7
Setting: Romania, ~1914(The start of WWI)
Him: Toma Novac, philosophy professor.
Her: Ileana(you’d think she’d have a less common name)Polinski.
The End: Toma Novac gets involved into Ileana and Polinski’s marraiage. Ileana commits adultery and Polinski is very aware that his « friend » wants to take his love away. He pretends that he has to go for business matters, only to find the two of them together. Polinski shoots Toma with a revolver, leaving 4 bullets in his body. Polinski is arrested for homicide and Toma dies in the hospital.
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(hide spoiler)]
Et cela a sûrement été un plaisir à lire.
Même s’il souffre de divers problèmes tels que la prévisibilité, c’est toujours un très bon livre. Et je suis très surpris car je ne pensais pas que Rebreanu était un auteur que j’aurais plaisir à lire. Pas après Ion, au moins.
Je suis content qu’il ait changé d’avis et j’ai hâte de lire Pădurea Spânzuraţilor