Swann in Love, Deluxe Edition

<i>Swann though didn’t try to find beauty in the women he spent time with, but to spend time with women whom he had first found beautiful.</i>

Filled with a plethora of art genres and musical interludes from the likes of Debussy, Liszt, Chopin, and Wagner, this is an incredible story of Parisian romantic idealism and self-discovery through experiencing the sheer joy yet abject failure that together form the paradox of love.
Witty, non-conformist and poignant, Proust's masterful, authentic and sardonic work offers us an intriguing insight into a world rarely seen in Victorian literature - positively risqué and full of surprises.

(*This review refers to the Deluxe Edition published in September 2022 and translated from the French version by Lucy Raitz).

My thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the e-ARC.

Proust's novel portrays this specific kind of love that can truly change a human being and his/her outlook on life.

Sumptuous…
A new translation in this sumptuous, deluxe edition of Proust’s novella. Set against a nineteenth century Paris, Charles Swann is seemingly a man of great culture and aspiration but is suddenly and brutally thrust into turmoil when he falls in love with Odette de Crecy. This tale of the illusion and delusion of love and desire burst with a full social satire of the time through a journey of fantasy and unreality and often ridiculous comedy. A beautifully done edition.

If you feel intimidated by or are not sure about starting Proust’s monumental In Search of Lost Time, like I was, Swann in Love is a perfect way to get introduced to his prose and thus make up your mind if that’s an author for you. The text is actually a part of Swann’s Way (the first volume of In Search of Lost Time) but can be read as a perfect standalone novella. It’s not a plot-based story but instead a circular, stream-of-consciousness study on love as a fluid, memory-triggered state of mind and its relation to art, especially music, all set against the backdrop of fin de siècle France.

The writing instantly made me think of Virginia Woolf, which I love – rewarding but demanding some focus and time. I don’t think Proust’s writing is for everyone, but it definitely worked for me and I cannot wait to dive into the famous 7-volume series next. I’ve read the new translation by Lucy Raitz (coming out later this year as Deluxe Edition by Pushkin Press) which I found very readable and engaging. 5 out of 5 stars for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the e-ARC.

A stunning deluxe edition of the stand-alone novella from Proust’s masterpiece—an intoxicatingly witty story of infatuation and jealousy—delivers the most memorable reading experience

As a beginner to Proust's work, this beautiful and fresh translation helped me get into the Proustian universe. Thank you NetGalley for the review copy.

This fine and perceptive new translation of Proust's novella, an extract from his larger work, is a perfect way for a new reader to approach and appreciate, (or not), Proust.