She Came to Stay – Simone de Beauvoir
She Came to Stay – Simone de Beauvoir – 1943
Reviewed by: Lale
I read a translation by Yvonne Moyse and Roger Senhouse. One of the worst translations I have ever read. There are such basic mistakes that even I (a talent-free student of the French language) could see them. All the “faux amis” were translated incorrectly. The dialogues are forced, unconvincing. Of course, part of the blame lies with de Beauvoir. She is not a literature writer. She is a philosopher, observer, analyser but she is not that great in narrating, describing, making-up.
The story is interesting enough. A very young girl, a protege of de Beauvoir comes to Paris upon de Beauvoir’s suggestion. She has no money, no talent, no job, no desire to do anything. De Beauvoir and Sartre willingly bear the burden. Sartre becomes infatuated with her. They make a bizarre threesome. The relationship between Sartre and de Beauvoir is strained to the point of self-destruction. Somehow, they recover and de Beauvoir writes She Came To Stay (L’Invitée). It is her first novel. Not smooth, and not always captivating. Great (and surprising) end, however.
- Related:
- Book Reviews
