Madame Bovary

By: Gustave Flaubert, Lydia Davis - translator

Narrated by: Kate Reading

Now a major motion picture starring Mia Wasikowska, Paul Giamatti, Laura Carmichael, Ezra Miller, and Rhys Ifans, and directed by Sophie Barthes

Emma Bovary is the original desperate housewife. Beautiful but bored, she is married to the provincial doctor Charles Bovary yet harbors dreams of an elegant and passionate life. Escaping into sentimental novels, she finds her fantasies dashed by the tedium of her days. Motherhood proves to be a burden; religion is only a brief distraction. In an effort to make her life everything she believes it should be, she spends lavishly on clothes and on her home and embarks on two disappointing affairs. Soon heartbroken and crippled by debts, Emma takes drastic action with tragic consequences for her husband and daughter.

When published in 1857, Madame Bovary was deemed so lifelike that many women claimed they were the model for its heroine. Today the novel is considered the first masterpiece of realist fiction. In this landmark translation, Lydia Davis honors the nuances and particulars of a style that has long beguiled readers of French, giving new life in English to the book that redefined the novel as an art form.

Critic reviews

"Madame Bovary is like the railroad stations erected in its epoch: graceful, even floral, but cast of iron." -- John Updike

Prose exquisitely mines a range of emotions

Some may not like the nature of the story (and/or its ending). This is no feel-good story, not a "David Copperfield" (which I love). Perhaps, by now, many people realize the basic substance of the story but do not expect its ending. Lydia Davis' prose is exquisite though there are times the audible version differs from the written book.

The novel was ground-breaking in any number of ways, not the least of which is the well of human emotions that surge through one while reading it. The clunky translations of the past took away from the novel and the experience of all of the sadness, anger, disgust, contempt, pity and shame accentuated in this edition.

The narrator does an excellent job both in portraying the pathos of Emma Bovary and in stoking the listener's contempt for her.

Excellent reading of the newest and best translation

I loved this novel even with the earlier imperfect translation, but this Audible version has the recent improved translation by Lydia Davis, and it sings. The narrator does an excellent job, and the whole effect is as if it was written in English. The one caveat: this Audible version unfortunately does not seem to offer Ms. Davis’s introduction. I will probably buy the Kindle edition to be able to read that. I will want to read it again in a few years anyway.

Superlative

Madame Bovary lives up to her reputation as a book for the ages. Shocking still and exquisitely written with the detail worthy of a pointillist painting.

My, my what a tragic story!

This book is truly a literary piece of art. The word structure and expressions are beautiful and create pictures in the reader's mind weaving an intricate story of the characters thoughts and actions.

Though the book is excellent in execution and substance, I wouldn't want to reread it because of the sad tragic content.

I realize that much of the story is realistic, however I prefer to think and hope that humans will recognize the value of making better decisions resulting in happier outcomes.

Lessons learned: Selfishness, greed, lack of contentment and haughtiness are poison to our existence and overall health.

Ms Reading's narration was exceptional!

Beautifully Narrated Classic

Well, revisiting this novel was more enjoyable than I expected. I remembered it being very depressing and difficult to get through when I was a good deal younger and less tolerant. I am so glad that I was encouraged to get the audible. It really brought the characters alive for me and elicited greater understanding of Flaubert's masterpiece. Although Emma is a very frustrating character, I found her character to be extremely well crafted. Never dull, always held my attention. An audible that I believe would engage many listeners, as a new experience or as a reawakening to this classic. Thanks for this winner!