The Charterhouse of Parma

By: Henri Beyle Stendhal

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini

Length: 19 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's Summary

In the coming-of-age story, we follow a young Italian nobleman, Fabrizio Valserra, Marchesino del Dongo, on many adventures, including his experiences at the Battle of Waterloo, and romantic intrigues.

©1997 Margaret Mauldon (P)2013 Recorded Books

Amazing novel finally available on audio!

One of my favorite books, this title has not been available in audio in English until very recently. The work is hard to define -- part adventure, part a shameless exercise in romanticism, and part a realistic portrait of court politics that feels surprisingly contemporary. The text presupposes a basic knowledge of European history and politics of the period, and without such knowledge I found bits of the text confusing, especially when zipping by at audio speed. (In particular, replay chapter 1 before proceeding to start on a firm footing.) But the general flow of events becomes clear over time, and missing a few political nuances does not detract from a very enjoyable experience. Beautifully read by a skilled narrater.

A classic you don't want to miss

This is another classic I never got around to reading and finally Audiobooks made it possible for me to finally get to it. I thought it started a little slow but oh how it developed. It was hard to stop my walks and turn off my iPod. I walked extra just to keep listening. It is a French author writing about an Italian hero and I enjoyed the comments about the two different cultures. The beautiful Italian names will ring in my head forever. Don't miss it.

Surprisingly modern

I read Red and Black many years ago, and I loved it then, but for some reason, I was ignorant of this beautiful and stirring novel.

Another version of Candide

Any additional comments?

This is a remarkable enjoyable epic of a young man in search of love encountering the ways of the world which have not changed since this book was written. It reminded me of Voltaire's Candide but far more sophisticated in nuance and breadth and soul. It's comparison of the French and Italian personas is very interesting.

I was wrong

** ORIGINAL REVIEW **

I enjoyed The Red and The Black and was shocked to find this one dull and rambling, despite a clear and sympathetic narration by Edoardo Ballerini. It's more of a sketch for a novel than a finished work. The story skips from dramatic scene to tedious summary at the drop of a hat, sometimes (seemingly) within the same paragraph. It skips over months at a time and mentions in passing that some life-changing event or other occurred along the way. Then without prelude or setting, it leaps into extended dialogue; then back into summary. I couldn't get a handle on it, and I never cared much for the foolish and selfish hero Fabrice.

** LATER THOUGHTS **

I seem to have gotten it completely wrong the first time around. I’ve had a chance to re-read the novel, using the same translation as the audiobook, and found it fascinating and Fabrice foolish but sympathetic. Stendhal’s account of Waterloo had me on the edge of my seat — not the least because Fabrice is so naive he’s not sure if he’s even in a battle. I’m still finding the audiobook a little monotonous, as opposed to the book itself. Is it the narration? Having been so wrong about the book, I hesitate to say so.

Napoleonic fiction

Where does The Charterhouse of Parma rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

very high

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mosca, a complicated character

What does Edoardo Ballerini bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Depth, feeling, and wonderful pronunciation.
If only all your readers of books with European words could pronounce them as well as he does.
I look for books that he reads.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

all of it

Any additional comments?

Get Ballerini to do more readings.

O wretched soul, what sweetness it was!

'O wretched soul, what sweetness it was!
How we burned at the moment when I saw
those eyes that I might never see again.'
-----
Lines from Petrarch, on handkerchief given secretly as a gift in novel's forbidden love affair


The 1839 The Charterhouse of Parma represented a movement away and forward from the romanticism of Stendhal's time, this was one of the earliest examples of realism in a way that was considered revolutionary then; Balzac considered it the most important novel of his time. Though some elements of the romantic emotionalism linger, the novel turns to realism in more fully exploring human nature and psychology of its primary characters.

Stendhal, like the protagonist Fabrice del Dongo, served with Napoleon's army in the 1812 campaign into Russia. After Napoleon's fall, Stendhal lived six years in Italy, a country he fell in love with, before returning to his native France.

Upon return from serving with Napoleon's army, del Dongo returns to the intrigue and politics of the court of Parma and fends off repeated advances from his relatively young aunt by marriage, 15 years his senior. He falls head over heels for the young maiden Clelia and they begin a platonic affair...until after she is married (and insists that they have sex in complete darkness so she would not be fully aware that she was committing an adulterous sin).

Once he deems the affair hopeless, that he can never be with his love, he turns to the cloth, escaping the cruel world into the charterhouse, or monastery.

I enjoyed it as a unique departure in my reading, appreciating the blend of the realism with some of the dramatically emotional pull of hopeless love.

Disappointing-neither serious nor all that funny

Stendhal's 'The Red and the Black' is one of my favorite novels. I found this one disappointing. It isn't as amusing. It gets bogged down at times in tedious court intrigue (the narrator himself admits this in one place!). And the way it ends tells me that Stendhal didn't really know where he was going with it.

Highly Regarded, But…

This novel is highly regarded in literary circles through time.

I see many reasons why.

But I don’t think it’s great, however great might be defined.

I won’t bother you with all the features that are traditionally regarded as excellent or those that I admire. I’ll just say that I think the plot unwinds in ways that aren’t particularly interesting, and the characters sort of meander on to the end on disparate courses that seem rather contrived to me.

I take leave of the story with little of the inspiration or glow I tend to have after reading a great piece of literature.

The narration is more than satisfactory.

Started out great, but disappointed

I thoroughly enjoyed the first part of the book, when the young and naive Fabrice sets out to join Napoleon. There is humor, satire, and adventure in this portion, in some ways reminding me of the adventures of The Three Musketeers (in the many volumes of Dumas’ books), and I was hoping it would continue in that vein. But following that, the endless intrigues with far too many characters and fickle romances and love affairs, frequently obsessive, become tedious and drawn out. Perhaps a good editor could have done something to improve the book, because it certainly started out great. I listened to Ballerini read a different book and enjoyed his reading much more. Here, it was fine, but did not make the book any less tedious as it dragged on to the end. Sometimes “quit while you are ahead” can be excellent advice!

Bonkers and crazy

Laughed at this many, many times. What a life the hero has in this huge book that only took Stendhal 50-odd days to write. Overlook silly plot twists and general silliness and you'll uncover a work of comic and satirical genius.

Such a great story and the reader is excellent

This is one of my favourite books, and I am delighted to find the reader so skilled at bringing out Stendahl's wonderful characterisation and subtle humour. What a pleasure!