When I was a very earnest teenager, discovering feminism and with no idea how frustrating it would all become, I, of course, bought a copy of ‘The Second Sex’. It is brilliant, quite hard to get through, but brilliant, and it definitely shaped my opinions and beliefs.

de Beauvoir was, undoubtedly, brilliant (if flawed) and so it was exciting to read a work that had never been published before.

The novel tells the story of a friendship between two young girls; for Sylvie the friendship becomes almost everything, and her pain and frustration at the way she must keep her feelings under control is beautifully and evocatively detailed. There are flashes of absolute brilliance throughout, that reveal the intelligence of the author, but for me there was something lacking here.

It was apparently de Beauvoir’s choice not to publish this novel, and there is speculation that this is because it was too personal – because it is about her own friendship with Zaza Lacoin. I wonder if this is what makes the novel feel a bit ‘off’ – that we are witnessing something that is none of our business, that it was something de Beauvoir wrote for herself. And perhaps it should have been left that way.

Of course, the writing is excellent, and intelligent, but I didn’t particularly enjoy this. I may well pick up ‘The Second Sex’ again, however.

Also, I absolutely loathe that cover!

A very beautiful, very short work of fiction written by the legendary author, Simone de Beauvoir. Although short, this stunning novel packs a punch.

Thank you for the chance to review!

The download date was unfortunately missed, I would be happy to re-review if it became available again. I have awarded stars for the book cover and description as they both appeal to me. I would be more than happy to re-read and review if a download becomes available. If you would like me to re-review please feel free to contact me at thesecretbookreview@gmail.com or via social media The_secret_bookreview (Instagram) or Secret_bookblog (Twitter). Thank you.

Sorry for the delay in getting this book read and reviewed. I enjoyed it, interesting friendship and daring for the time, it absolutely deserved to be published, Recommended.

This semi-autobiographical novel of Simone de Beauvoir's intense friendship with another girl is instantly recognisable as the author's work. The powerful emotions are conveyed through prose that is often cool and by crystalline but which also has heat and vitality beneath it. This contrast that can be seen in two girls raised to be reserved and demure but who are full of passions and desires and hopes beyond the respectable marriages expected of them. The Inseparables represents another attempt by de Beauvoir to express and understand the significance of the friendship that is also illustrated in her Memoirs of Dutiful Daughter, to capture the bright, haughty and ultimately doomed character of her beloved friend. Lauren Elkin has provided an elegant and subtle translation from the French that captured the conflict between de Beauvoir's adult writing and the still-powerful feelings and understandings from her youth, the voice of reason sometimes battling the melodramatic in the conflicting but beguiling narrative style. Beyond the friendship itself are the fascinating discussions of women's roles, the place of faith and atheism and the intersections of theology with secular realities which form a complex but important picture of French society in the early twentieth century.

In her 1963 memoir, “Force of Circumstance,” Simone de Beauvoir made a fleeting and tantalizing reference to a work of fiction she had abandoned. She described her attempt to write a story centered on her best friend Zaza, who died young of viral encephalitis.

In the decades since, literary scholars have wondered what became of the manuscript. Now the book, “The Inseparables,” is finally being published, after Beauvoir’s adopted daughter, Sylvie Le Bon de Beauvoir, decided to start releasing the works of fiction from the archive she inherited.

The Inseparables is a thoughtful and introspective novel that explores the complex relationships between three women who have been friends since childhood. While it is not without its flaws, overall it is a compelling and engaging read.

One of the strengths of the novel is de Beauvoir's writing, which is elegant and nuanced. She does an excellent job of capturing the inner lives of her characters, particularly the protagonist, Sylvie. Through Sylvie's experiences, the novel explores important themes such as gender roles, sexuality, and the nature of friendship.

The novel is also notable for its exploration of the challenges faced by women in mid-century France, particularly in terms of their social and professional opportunities. De Beauvoir's frank depiction of these issues adds depth and complexity to the novel, making it a thought-provoking read.

However, while the novel is generally strong, it does have some weaknesses. Some readers may find that the pace is slow at times, particularly during long passages of introspection and description. Additionally, the novel's depiction of women can feel somewhat dated, particularly in terms of gender roles and sexuality.

Overall, The Inseparables is a well-written novel that explores important themes and features complex characters. While it may not be to everyone's taste, those who enjoy introspective character studies and thought-provoking explorations of gender and friendship will likely find much to enjoy here.

A somewhat strange reading experience, as it was not so much reading like a novel, but more like a maybe too intimate reflection on friendship and probably obsession. Surprising was the sentimental decor that I was not expecting. De Beauvoir, being of many talents, is maybe not a born novelist. I enjoyed reading it, it felt very true and enraging, but somehow it left a bit of a bland feeling.

Available in English for the first time, Simone de Beauvoir's incandescent autobiographical novel paints an enthralling portrait of a formative female friendship in interwar Paris. Gorgeously written, intelligent, passionate, and in many ways foreshadows such contemporary works as Elena Ferrante's My Brilliant Friend

A poignant read based on the friendship of Simone de Beauvoir and her childhood friend Elizabeth 'Zaza' Lacoin. It is a novelised recollection of their cherished friendship beginning at age 9 until ZaZa's premature death at 21years. Although written in 1954 and the author passed in 1986, it has been published posthumously in 2021. Sylvie (Simone) and Andrée (ZaZa) become instant friends, both from strongly religious families and they share long discussions about love, women, history, politics...This novel gives a glimpse not only into the friendship of the pair, but also a searing glimpse into the social system the history of women and the conflict between feminism and religion and how Simone felt like her friend was crushed and ruined by this system. Such an engaging read and clearly the friendship impacted and shaped Simone de Beauvoir and her thoughts and writings throughout her life. #theinseparables #simonedebeauvoir #netgalley

This is a beautiful book by de Beauvoir which was unpublished in her lifetime. It is a story about friendship, about growing up, about love, and about loss. There is much here that is autobiographical as SdeB lost a good friend Zaza, in real life. The book reads like a eulogy but it is more than that. It is a description of two people and how they grow together and how the expectations of others influence our lives and our decisions.

The book is emotionally charged, is honest and at times joyful, and a worthwhile addition to the canon of Simone de Beauvoir.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley

Beautifully written, short but sweet piece of literary fiction, partly based on Simone de Beauvoir's own experiences. Absolutely loved it.

This was so difficult to rate so I decided on a 3 star rating since the book was engaging at times but also left me very bored at times.

Simone de Beauvoir is one of the most prominent figures in feminism and I am very interested in her work surrounding the topic. This book gives us an insight into her young life and what she had experienced. It shows us some of the most pivotal moments in her adolescence where her thoughts on religion, love and marriage were formed and it is highly fascinating.

Removed from her status as a prominent figure in history, this story lacks depth and feeling. I got bored at times and by the end of this short novel I felt nothing. Even though the story itself is only about 120 pages long, it felt like I was reading it for an eternity. The writing was also strange. Sometimes de Beauvoir would write the most lush descriptions and other times the writing would be so dull and half the page would be taken up by listing things (such as food). It was bland and unnecessary.

Overall, I'm glad I read this but it's not something that groundbreaking in terms of the plot and the writing. The fact that we get a glimpse into de Beauvoir's early life is the draw ticket.

This was the first book I read by Beauvoir (although I read some parts of Le Deuxieme Sexe) and it did not disappoint me!

It was beautiful seeing the friendship grow and change. I think Beauvoir is a truly gifted and sensible writer, amnd it is truly special how she's written this based on her own life and friendship with Zaza.

I totally recommend it to anyone, and it helps that it's very short!

A brief but truly beautiful illustration of love from one of France's most iconic writers. It is heartfelt, absorbing and striking in its wisdom. Wonderfully translated, too.

utterly readable (if sometimes fusty) but amazingly contemporary - she really had it on the button - characters are a bit overly described/wordy - and the dialogue is a bit intellectualised at times - and i did not believe in the chemistry between the two women - but the pique and hurt comes through. I had not known that de Beauvoir wrote fiction so in itself this was a wonderful discovery - she is a fuller talent than I'd thought - highly recommend on various grounds, therefore ...

I'm glad I tried it, but I think this has just cemented the fact that Simone de Beauvoir's theory is much more to my taste than her fiction. I found this utterly dry and honestly hard to finish, despite its length. I loved the promise of the central friendship, but none of the characters felt particularly real or fleshed out, and I never got a sense of Andrée as a person, just a bland and often contradictory archetype. I wish I'd loved it, but I just didn't.

A coming-of-age story that captures the affection and connection that is forged when children grow up together. The ease with which Simone de Beauvoir captures the pain produced at the intersections of childhood and maturity, innocence and intelligence is quite something. Lauren Elkin's translation is textured, offering light-touch academic rigor with footnotes that don't detract from de Beauvoir's prose.

This is the first Simone De Beauvoir I've read and I really enjoyed her writing style. I thought it was really interesting to see the differences in upbringing between Sylvie and Andrée during the early 20th century. It wasn't something I've studied a lot about, which made it all the more interesting. Their relationship dynamic is also very intimate but distant as well, as evidenced by one of Andrée's siblings asking about why they don't do "les bises" to each other as a greeting.

I also loved the translator's take on the subject, as I know this is a topic close to her heart. I will be seeking out more books by Beauvoir in the near future!

The Inseparables is a novelised account of friendship, which at the time of writing, was considered too bold to be published. As per the rest of Beauvoir's work, it is a beautifully written, engaging and emotional. tale of a friendship that ends far too soon. This short novel will not easily be forgotten.

Its SimoneDeBeauvoir so obviously is absolute genius. A rewarding exploration of girlhood, friendship, injustice, and love. Beautiful translation by Lauren Elkin.