The book ultimately recounts the life of Gervaise, a young French woman. We see her climb high and achieve happiness and success, but then witness the downwards spiral of her destruction. But the book isn't solely about Gervaise, as Zola introduces many other characters, whose traits all juxtapose with one another, creating a melting pot of comedy, drama and tension. He also depicts the most dreadful scenes of poverty and hardship, scenes that are almost unbelievable to imagine living in the luxury of the 21st Century. Zola's talent in slowly building up characters and plot make the book the success it is; he takes his time to describe scenes, for example he spends the whole of Chapter 7 describing Gervaise's great feast. But these lengthy scenes don't hinder the novel in the slightest, instead they give the reader time to slowly and gradually absorb all of the details. I felt as though I had stepped into the pages of this book.

Overall a remarkable piece of writing. This will certainly not be my last novel by Zola.


By far the best classic novel!   August 17, 2005
 3 out of 5 found this review helpful

I studied this book for part of my English Literature dissertation and can safely say it is the best piece of literature I have ever encountered, on or off my university course. Once I managed to pry it away from myself long enough to write a review, I found it nearly impossible to find the right words to give this book the justice it deserves.

Zola chose to defy the modesty and restraint exercised by many authors in the nineteenth-century, and instead exposed the harrowing lifestyles and troubled relationships of working class Paris. He focused on the immense hardships the poor struggled to overcome and brought to light the harsh realities of the lower classes in their daily struggle to survive. He accurately portrays nineteenth-century working class Paris, combining sorrow, misery, anguish, desperation and despair to produce one of the finest, most descriptive and most moving texts the period can boast.

Zola's frank, yet touching manner of expressing himself without glorifying any details ensured the text was given my full attention from start to finish. I found the base treatment of women and the crude behaviour and beliefs of certain characters deliciously shocking, and this was in the year 2005! I couldn't help but wonder how reading audiences reacted to it in 1877 and found myself compelled to research this text as part of my university studies and learn more about it.

I haven't yet discovered a book that has generated so much power and feeling, having summarised my own thoughts of this book and having read through other reviews of it. It is so much more intense and heart-felt than many modern texts. I have since ordered Nana and am keen to experience more of Zola's works; fortunately there are plenty more of them to keep me satisfied! If they are anything like L'Assommoir, then I know I won't be disappointed.


Amazing Story   December 17, 2002
 6 out of 8 found this review helpful

The fact this was written in France over a hundred years ago takes absolutely nothing away from the understanding of the reader. The story is gripping, I literally could not put it down, and the characters are so realistic and recognisable even from the perspective of a person in 2002. The futility of Gervaise's life and the descent into degeneration was so superbly and subtely written that the impact of this was that anyone could descend downwards given the right circumstances. Hard to find the right words to convey the power of this book or it's impact.


Absolutely stunning   August 11, 2002
 3 out of 6 found this review helpful

I could not put this book down. Following the life of 'banban' through the tradgedies and depravities of 18Century paris was absolutely captivating.