It's written incredibly well, the way Laclos manages to create a different style of writing for each character is amazing, and I was absolutely devastated at the end-I won't tell you why you'll just have to read it to find out.


Great book - shame about the introduction   November 5, 2003
 8 out of 10 found this review helpful

Having been an ardent fan of the film since it's first release I thought it was about time I read the real thing. I chose this as one translation should be good as another. While I can't comment on the quality of the translation (having nothing to compare it to) the one thing that stops an otherwise excellent book is the droning introduction.

Richard Adlington seems to have an axe to grind. In his haste to do this he manages at times to contradict himself in places within the space of 2 pages. Rather than just giving an historically accurate picture of Laclos he seems to take great joy in trying to rubbish everything that has been written about Laclos prior to this book. While this may be targetted at students with a particular interest in the life of Laclos, I just found his incessant rebukes irriatating.

The second and probably more irrating issue is the continual use of phrases in French throughout the introduction without translation. Surprisingly, I bought a translation because my French is not fluent. By all means put the phrases in French, but at least have the common sense to put the translation in given the whole point of the book is that it is a translation.

If it wasn't for these 2 issues with the introduction I would have given it 5 stars. If Richard wants to write a book on Laclos and get his point of view across then he should do it and not spoil what is an otherwise brilliant and captivating read.

My advice - if you don't have to read the introduction then skip it and go straight into the writings of Laclos.