Reviews for Madame de Mauves

The average rating for Madame de Mauves based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2020-08-07 00:00:00 Sandra Small Longmore turned away with the feeling that women were indeed a measureless mystery, and that it was hard to say in which of their forms of perversity there was most merit. This is an early James novella (1874) and thus is written in less labyrinthine prose than his later works but already it foreshadows his 'international theme' and bears witness to his acute skills in observation and psychological insight. Indeed, it almost rehearses The Portrait of a Lady in miniature but with decidedly more humour and a slightly less sophisticated and complicated approach. There are certainly points in this story where we feel that the more mature James would have been less unrefined, more intricate, and there's something close to a sting in the tail, something so far from what I expect from James that I actually gasped out loud in amused surprise! At around 100pp. this is a perfect little amuse-bouche between other reading and would also make an ideal first read for anyone new to James.

Review # 2 was written on 2020-08-01 00:00:00 Staci Powell I have read only one thing by Henry James before - "The Turn of the Screw," and that was many years ago, so I was intrigued to read this novella, first published in 1874. Longmore is a young American man, who is introduced to Madame de Mauves, wife of the Comte Richard de Mauves, by joint acquaintance, Mrs Draper. Mrs Draper suggests that Mr Longmore console the beautiful Madame de Mauves, who she feels is terribly unhappy. Having had romantic ideals about marrying a nobleman, encouraged by a spiteful school 'friend,' and, now sister in law, Madame Clarin, she is repenting her youthful dreams in leisure. For her husband is, frankly, a wastrel. However, this is 1874 and disastrous marriages are not easy things for women to extricate themselves. As he womanises, spends her money and neglects his wife, both husband, and sister in law, conspire to encourage Longmore's increasing passion for Madame de Mauves. This novella has many themes. Marriage, European, as opposed to American, sensibilities, whether marriage should involve love - whether marital love continues, forgiveness, stoicism, betrayal and more. I found it fascinating and loved the ending. Certainly I want to read more Henry James and I am pleased I was encouraged by members of my book group to give this a try.