Thérèse Raquin, Emile Zola – Guest review by Emer This is a story of lust, murder and madness, set in Paris in a backstreet haberdashery shop where the ‘woodwork exuded damp from every crack’. The protagonist, Thérèse, has been forced into a marriage with her cousin, Camille – described as being in a ‘permanent state …
The House of Mirth, Edith Wharton Edith Wharton is perhaps most well known for her novella Ethan Frome, but here in The Company of Books we urge The House of Mirth on anyone who breathes the word ‘classic’. The story of Lily Bart, 29 and still unmarried though beautiful and possessed of charm and wit …
Beware of Pity, Stefan Zweig Before we get to the contents of the book, it must be said that the recent Pushkin Press edition is a satisfying object, reassuringly chunky with a nice clear font and an invitingly smooth cover. The cover blurb (where did this need for celebrity guidance spring from?) informs us that …