Adieu, Marquise je ne vous dis rien de mes sentiments pour vous. Tout ce que je puis faire en ce moment, c'est de ne pas scruter mon coeur.

A very melodramatic book, and I can definitely see how it has inspired multiple movies and the genre generally. The Marquise de Merteuil and M. Valmont were both the epitome of that 'I think I will cause problems on purpose' meme.

It did annoy me slightly that at the end, the main surviving characters think the Marquise is the absolute worst while M. Valmont did a few questionable things but was ultimately a victim. No! They were both awful and treated people awfully while in a weird game/flirtation/competition with each other! Though in a very entertaining (to the reader) way. Some of their snark was hilarious. Similarly, the Chevalier Danceny skated out of it thinking he was pretty much innocent of everything except being tricked into killing Valmont in a duel, but he wasn't exactly a prince either. I suppose this is accurate to the characters/time period/sexism though.

It took me a while to get into it, maybe because I had to get used to reading the older prose. I also thought that the ending/moralistic consequences for everyone felt rather abrupt and perfunctory compared to the rest of the novel.

Finally, I thought the choice to have it be an epistolary novel was great - it really let you see the difference in how people wrote to different people and wanted themselves to be perceived.

Non, mais le DRAME!! J’ai tellement ri

*Popsugar Reading Challenge 2020*
- Read a banned book during Banned Books Week -

Het is dan geen Banned Books Week meer maar dit boek gold zeker als een, voor die tijd, "pikante" en verboden roman. Enorm genoten! Ik ga de meest recente vertaling in het Nederlands ook maar eens lezen, ben heel benieuwd hoe dat uitpakt.

The 1988 movie was true to the book; I can say that now, because having watched the movie umpteen times, I finally got around to reading Laclos' scandalous tale of French society in the 18th century. I imagine it was to the French reader what Fifty Shades of Grey was to the American reader in 2013, except this epistolary novel is well-written.

The story centers around the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont, former lovers and now friendly rivals, who seek to outdo each other by manipulating the men and women around them with offers of love and sex. The letters delivered between the characters show the many different faces each person wears, depending on to whom the letters are written.

Originally published in 1782, this novel in four parts reads very easily, and moves quickly. I had no problems comprehending the depths of depravity Merteuil and Valmont were seeking. Laclos also adds footnotes about letters missing, or deemed unnecessary to the plot, which makes them seem to have actually been written and sent.

Highly recommend this "1001 books you must read" selection.