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Les Liasons Dangereuses - Choderlos de Laclos

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  • 21-01-2006 9:43pm
    #1
    Valmont
    Registered Users Posts: 5,856 ✭✭✭


    Has anyone read this book and what did they think of it? I found it hard to get into at first due to the style it is written in (a series of letters) but once I got a grip of the plot I loved every minute of it. The language is very eloquent and the letters by Marquise de Merteuil are sublime.

    On a side note, yes I have seen Cruel Intentions and it is surprisingly tight to the book in terms plot and dialogue. And, yes Sarah Michelle Gellar is a babe.


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    #2
    Misty Moon
    Registered Users Posts: 294 ✭✭Misty Moon


    One of those books I started and never finished. There aren't many like that but I think it took me ages to get into it and then when I finally did I think I ended up moving house so gave up and didn't read anything except the very lightest books for a few weeks. Must dig it out and give it another go over one of the long weekends coming up.


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    #3
    Valmont
    Registered Users Posts: 5,856 ✭✭✭Valmont


    It is a little tedious at the beginning. But you should persevere, it gets better and better. The denouemont makes it worth every minute.


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    #4
    Valmont2006
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭Valmont2006


    Yes, Val, I read and loved the book. I read it when I was 16 and just fell into the world de Laclos created. I think I've read it more than any other book.

    In fact, I nearly always use Valmont as my screen name on forums, etc. and was very disappointed to see you had got there first on boards.ie. Lol! :cool:


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    #5
    Valmont
    Registered Users Posts: 5,856 ✭✭✭Valmont


    Valmont2006 wrote:
    In fact, I nearly always use Valmont as my screen name on forums, etc. and was very disappointed to see you had got there first on boards.ie. Lol! :cool:

    you still ripped me off though!only messin and we both live in greystones, ha

    While I was reading the book, the cruelness of the characters just chilled me to my bones, they were great. Then it just all imploded, the ending was so dramatic.

    Merteuil developed some disfiguring facial disease, that was so out of place but it seemed like light humoured poetic justice. I think some people thought that it undermined the book in a way.


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    #6
    Nevyn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 43,045 ✭✭✭✭Nevyn


    Tis a dear favourite of mine,
    I think may find this to be better then cruel intensions http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094947/
    Much of Ryan Philpes preformance was lifted from that of John Malikovich.
    Merteuil developed some disfiguring facial disease
    one of the sympthoms of syphilis.

    Cruel or practical ?


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    #7
    Valmont
    Registered Users Posts: 5,856 ✭✭✭Valmont


    Thaedydal wrote:
    one of the sympthoms of syphilis.

    Cruel or practical ?

    Ahhh, I never knew that. Well, now it makes a lot more sense. I thought the writer just decided to throw in a random condition on her for the sake of justice!


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    #8
    Nevyn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 43,045 ✭✭✭✭Nevyn


    Tis one of those books were a little knowledge of certain thing bring it more into focus.
    The purgative time Valmont subjects himself to and the visit to the country for his health was well know to be away of resting up in those times to ease syphillis and the fact he chooses to die the way he did becomes a lot less noble when you see that what awaited him was such disfigurement and brain rot so he made his end as vicious and as daring as possible to be remembered.

    He could not have his compatriot in crime out live him and so he shamed her and ended her influence with his own.

    A little knowledge about courtly life, the language of flowers, the history and socail conventions of the time really open up the book a hell of a lot more.


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    #9
    Valmont
    Registered Users Posts: 5,856 ✭✭✭Valmont


    Thaedydal wrote:
    Tis one of those books were a little knowledge of certain thing bring it more into focus.
    The purgative time Valmont subjects himself to and the visit to the country for his health was well know to be away of resting up in those times to ease syphillis and the fact he chooses to die the way he did becomes a lot less noble when you see that what awaited him was such disfigurement and brain rot so he made his end as vicious and as daring as possible to be remembered.

    He could not have his compatriot in crime out live him and so he shamed her and ended her influence with his own.

    A little knowledge about courtly life, the language of flowers, the history and socail conventions of the time really open up the book a hell of a lot more.

    Well I had no knowledge of those things but I still really enjoyed it. I suppose I was aware of some of the social conventions and history but not the other stuff.

    I'd still like to think Valmont had a noble death and that his bizarre relationship with Madame Tourvel made him a slightly changed man.

    Every time this thread comes close to death, someone posts and resurrects it! I didn't think I would get any replies to be honest.

    Cheers


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