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Les Grandes Marées
Book in French!
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
June 23, 2023
Le bonheur est impossible quand on est seul
Dans la société moderne d'aujourd'hui, il y en a qui n'ont pas encore trouvé leur bonheur, d'autres qui le chercheront pendant toute leur vie sans jamais le trouver et encore ceux qui se sont dit que ce que leur manque pourrait se trouver dans la paix de solitude. Sans doute, il y en a qui sont convaincus que la paix, le silence, le contentement, la tranquillité d'esprit et l'auto-détermination qu'on y trouve sont pareils au bonheur. Évidemment, Jacques Poulin n'y croit pas. Dans LES GRANDES MARÉES, il nous montre, avec une prose à la fois drôle, douce, mélodieuse et avare, que le bonheur doit être partagé. Bien que le bonheur puisse n'avoir qu'une vie courte, il ne reste aucune doute qu'il a besoin, pas seulement d' être partagé, mais aussi du souci, de la communication, de la compassion et d'un vrai sens de communauté.
Paul Weiss
Dans la société moderne d'aujourd'hui, il y en a qui n'ont pas encore trouvé leur bonheur, d'autres qui le chercheront pendant toute leur vie sans jamais le trouver et encore ceux qui se sont dit que ce que leur manque pourrait se trouver dans la paix de solitude. Sans doute, il y en a qui sont convaincus que la paix, le silence, le contentement, la tranquillité d'esprit et l'auto-détermination qu'on y trouve sont pareils au bonheur. Évidemment, Jacques Poulin n'y croit pas. Dans LES GRANDES MARÉES, il nous montre, avec une prose à la fois drôle, douce, mélodieuse et avare, que le bonheur doit être partagé. Bien que le bonheur puisse n'avoir qu'une vie courte, il ne reste aucune doute qu'il a besoin, pas seulement d' être partagé, mais aussi du souci, de la communication, de la compassion et d'un vrai sens de communauté.
Paul Weiss
November 30, 2018
Bon au début, avait du potentiel, mais très long pour pas grand chose. Je ne le recommande pas.
EDIT: J'y ai pensé. J'aime vraiment pas ce livre. Il est la cause de ma mauvaise note en français!!!!
EDIT: J'y ai pensé. J'aime vraiment pas ce livre. Il est la cause de ma mauvaise note en français!!!!
October 22, 2016
بدَأت الرواية بفكرة جيدة، لكن أحداثها أخذت تسير ببطء شديد وكادت أن تتجه إلى مستوى الروايات الهابطة، وتسرب الملل إلي، لولا الخاتمة المفاجئة التي كسرت رتم الأحداث.
بشكل عام الرواية متوسطة المستوى.
بشكل عام الرواية متوسطة المستوى.
August 3, 2024
What a perfect way to spend the weekend. Absolutely stunning.
May 7, 2020
A beautiful cross between Richard Brautigan and, say, David Lynch. Spring Tides is a novel that insists you read sitting down. From it's allegorical setting to the way in which one of its characters touts decelerated reading, this is a difficult novel to discuss analytically because, like Lynch, it writes outwardly with its own critical theory. The effect on the reader is immediate. Short chapters ebb and flow with hypnotic rhythm lulling the reader into passivity.
I found myself fighting against an instinct to let the prose simply wash over me without a second thought. This is not only appropriate, it accounts for the scattered single star reviews from discouraged students assigned this text in a classroom who wanted more things to happen. If you try and lance this novel's story to excoriate its meaning it will be like poking a cotton ball.
For me, meaning came from an active attendance to myself as a reader as each new chapter was announced. Indeed I even practiced decelerated reading myself. I bet I could have stretched this out far longer than a week but I'm still prodded by the procreant urge of the world and still learning how to slow down.
Recommended reading for a lazy spot in the sun.
I found myself fighting against an instinct to let the prose simply wash over me without a second thought. This is not only appropriate, it accounts for the scattered single star reviews from discouraged students assigned this text in a classroom who wanted more things to happen. If you try and lance this novel's story to excoriate its meaning it will be like poking a cotton ball.
For me, meaning came from an active attendance to myself as a reader as each new chapter was announced. Indeed I even practiced decelerated reading myself. I bet I could have stretched this out far longer than a week but I'm still prodded by the procreant urge of the world and still learning how to slow down.
Recommended reading for a lazy spot in the sun.
September 27, 2014
Les Grandes marees published in 1978 is a quintessential book of its era in Quebecois literature. It tells the fable of a translator of comic strips who moves to a small abandoned island in the middle of the St. Lawrence River because he cannot feel at home in his society. His supportive employer who wants him to be happy alters his paper's work procedures to accommodate the distressed comic strip translator.
After a short period, the employer concludes that the author is unhappy in his solitude and sends a woman to the island. The protagoniste communicates well with the woman. Unfortunately, employer thinks he is still unhappy and continues to send more people to the island until they band together and expel the author.
Les Grande marees thus asks the great question that dominated Quebecois society during the last twenty-five years of the twentieth century: "Comment est-ce que l'on peut sentir bien dans sa peau: a l'ecart de la societe ou bien engage dans la societe? (How and where can one feel good in one's skin: inside or outside of society?")
After a short period, the employer concludes that the author is unhappy in his solitude and sends a woman to the island. The protagoniste communicates well with the woman. Unfortunately, employer thinks he is still unhappy and continues to send more people to the island until they band together and expel the author.
Les Grande marees thus asks the great question that dominated Quebecois society during the last twenty-five years of the twentieth century: "Comment est-ce que l'on peut sentir bien dans sa peau: a l'ecart de la societe ou bien engage dans la societe? (How and where can one feel good in one's skin: inside or outside of society?")
December 11, 2022
Très belle allégorie de la vie en société, Teddy Bear est un personnage auquel je me suis attaché et la fin est assez touchante selon moi. En plus que l’��le Madame se situe dans le même coin que j’habite ce qui me le fait apprécier encore plus !
December 10, 2018
Ceci était beaucoup de rien. Ce livre était vraiement pas mon goût. Teddy Bear n'a rien intéressant à dire et fait rien d'intéressant. Je m'excuse M. Poulin mais ton livre est un peu bizarre.
May 21, 2017
J'ai eu beaucoup de mal à comprendre le sens de ce livre. C'est même en rédigeant cette critique que j'ai fini par comprendre certains aspects. J'ai beaucoup aimé les jeux de langage dans ce livre avec ces personnages qui portent un surnom qui les résume. Tous sauf deux, Teddy et Marie, qui sont les personnages les plus intéressants du roman à mon avis. Ce sont les âmes pures de cette aventure qui refusent de se faire corrompre. Ce livre parle de l'éphémérité du paradis terrestre, paradis terrestre compromis par l'obsession du bonheur de chacun. Notre pauvre Teddy qui ne demandait rien finit par se faire marginaliser par ceux qui devait contribuer à son bonheur. Le roman se termine par une fin sordide et énigmatique.
June 23, 2024
Kao lektira
January 26, 2024
quoi de eff j’ai aimé ça mais aussi il n’y a aucun schéma narratif on dirait que je viens juste de regarder un montage de courtes séquences pour l’ésthetique… rêve de fièvre
August 30, 2021
Earlier this month I celebrated my birthday and my family knowing me quite well (you’d hope they would!!) delivered a number of gifts that were all neatly wrapped and rectangular in shape. They’d been online shopping choosing a raft of Archipelago Books that weren’t already on my shelf. Jacques Poulin featured with three gifts so straight into his work I delved. No logic with the one I chose first, just the one that happened to be closest to my hand when selecting.
Our protagonist is Teddy, he lives on a deserted island, alone with his work as a translator of comic strips, his only company a battle scarred alley cat called Matousalem. Once a week his “boss” from the newspaper arrives via helicopter with supplies, more comic strips to translate and then departs with that week’s work. But one week the boss drops off a surprise, a barefoot girl Marie, “from the back she looked like a boy, because her shoulders were a little too broad” as well as her cat Moustache.
Teddy divided his time among translation, keeping an eye on the island and such occupations as building maintenance and repainting the tennis court. He gave priority, obviously, to his main job, and he worked to a very precise schedule.
Now, on some days the words simply didn’t come….He would give up waiting for them; then as he was getting ready for bed, they would appear, like guests who have forgotten the time. They kept him awake a good part of the night.
The words whirled around in his head.
There was a full moon.
This is a novel of simple language and style, reminiscent in a way of Rodrigo Rey Rosa, where more is said with less.
For my full review go to http://messybooker.blogspot.com.au/
Our protagonist is Teddy, he lives on a deserted island, alone with his work as a translator of comic strips, his only company a battle scarred alley cat called Matousalem. Once a week his “boss” from the newspaper arrives via helicopter with supplies, more comic strips to translate and then departs with that week’s work. But one week the boss drops off a surprise, a barefoot girl Marie, “from the back she looked like a boy, because her shoulders were a little too broad” as well as her cat Moustache.
Teddy divided his time among translation, keeping an eye on the island and such occupations as building maintenance and repainting the tennis court. He gave priority, obviously, to his main job, and he worked to a very precise schedule.
Now, on some days the words simply didn’t come….He would give up waiting for them; then as he was getting ready for bed, they would appear, like guests who have forgotten the time. They kept him awake a good part of the night.
The words whirled around in his head.
There was a full moon.
This is a novel of simple language and style, reminiscent in a way of Rodrigo Rey Rosa, where more is said with less.
For my full review go to http://messybooker.blogspot.com.au/
June 12, 2017
Les Grandes Marées by Jacques Poulin is exactly what one would expect from a Canadian book; almost too kind, blend, and frankly not that interesting. Had to read that book for a class and I despised it. The characters are boring and self-centered, and the author is trying too hard to make it like a society's critique. The individualism of the characters, mainly Teddy and Marie get tasteless after a few chapters. I would not recommend this to anyone. The end is like the entire book, unclear and philosophical-wannabe; briefly, this book is boring and so cliché to almost all of the ''litérature québécoise'' that I struggled not to fall asleep while reading it.
March 12, 2017
This seriously had the potential of receiving five stars but I'll settle for four.
I like, borderline love, stories with no plots but the ending to this story was so abrupt ... not even anti-climatic ... but leading to nowhere (literally).
I also liked that the characters are characterized by their traits.
Another aspect I liked was the references to modern day objects, comics, dictionaries, etc contrasted to an old fashioned world like the Island its set in. I wish was on the Île Madame Island but that's besides the point.
Overall, this book was a still fast pace and an eccentric read.
I like, borderline love, stories with no plots but the ending to this story was so abrupt ... not even anti-climatic ... but leading to nowhere (literally).
I also liked that the characters are characterized by their traits.
Another aspect I liked was the references to modern day objects, comics, dictionaries, etc contrasted to an old fashioned world like the Island its set in. I wish was on the Île Madame Island but that's besides the point.
Overall, this book was a still fast pace and an eccentric read.
April 12, 2023
Un de ces roman bizarre, déconcertant...tel qu'il est difficile d'en voir le but. Il est question d'un homme bonasse à l'extrême qui se laisse manger la laine sur le dos, et qui par conséquent, perd tout. J'ai quand-même adoré ce roman... Il est bon d'être gentil, mais il faut se méfier des personnes qui prennent la gentillesse pour une faiblesse.
October 29, 2015
I had to read this for a class in college. I could literally skip some paragraphs and it wouldn't even make a difference. I found it really boring to read, as it feels like nothing truly interesting is happening.
July 7, 2024
3.5⭐️Dans Les Grandes Marées on suit Teddy bear qui est triste et qui désire vivre dans la plus grande des solitudes. Au fil du temps, l’île accueille de nouveaux habitants supposés d’aider Teddy à être plus heureux. Malgré cela, Teddy reste un homme renfermé qui n’a pas envie de participer à la société.
Critique de la société capitaliste, ce roman montre une série de personnages égocentriques pour qui le travail est très important. Ils ont tous de la difficulté à communiquer entre eux et surtout, ils ne s’écoutent pas.
La fin est étrange et nous reste dans la gorge. C’était plutôt triste de suivre Teddy sans jamais vraiment le comprendre et de remarquer que les autres ne le comprennent pas vraiment non plus et n’essayent pas plus que ça d’y arriver.
Critique de la société capitaliste, ce roman montre une série de personnages égocentriques pour qui le travail est très important. Ils ont tous de la difficulté à communiquer entre eux et surtout, ils ne s’écoutent pas.
La fin est étrange et nous reste dans la gorge. C’était plutôt triste de suivre Teddy sans jamais vraiment le comprendre et de remarquer que les autres ne le comprennent pas vraiment non plus et n’essayent pas plus que ça d’y arriver.
May 7, 2022
I really liked Volkswagen Blues but this allegory, fable, call it what you like, was a miss for me. I was really enjoying it for about the first two-thirds with the interplay between Teddy, Marie, and Featherhead (a nice comic invention), but from that point forward what had been a farcical lark started to become ponderous and heavy, freighted with symbolic intent and quasi-poetic gestures, and I felt almost betrayed and certainly let down by the end. Some great comic moments, but not a read I would strongly recommend.
April 22, 2019
un très beau livre, philosophique, mais sans être prétentieux. J'ai beaucoup aimé le début, et tandis que les personnages s'y ajoutait je me suis trouvée de plus en plus mal-à-l'aise ce qui m'as amenée à la fin du roman, qui suivait, mais qui m'as laissée...confuse? attristée? perdue? je ne sais pas exactement ce que M. Poulin voulait nous dire par la fin, mais je suis contente de continuer à y réfléchir.
September 17, 2017
J’ai beaucoup aimé ce roman. C’est le premier roman de Poulin que je lis et je vais certainement continuer la découverte de son oeuvre. Un style unique, du moins pour mes connaissances, et une imagination libre et riche. Lire la suite sur mon blogue : http://puis-chap.blogspot.bg/2017/09/...
January 21, 2019
Un feel good book dans lequel il se passe pas grand-chose et c'est tant mieux, car on est dans l’interaction humaine simple et pure. Beaucoup d’amour. De la réflexion sur la vie. Une ambiance relaxante. Personne se prend la tête, ils y vont avec le flow. Merci M. Poulin.
November 23, 2017
Ce livre parle de solitude et d’envahissement, de bonté et d’égoïsme. Récit touchant et créatif d’un homme en quête de tranquillité.
May 28, 2021
Charming, but I haven't parsed the allegory to any great extent. Still, fun.
March 12, 2022
Fun to analyze but I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed it outside of my class. I did love the hints of romance though.
March 21, 2023
Something about reading a book mandated by school just tanks whatever enjoyment I would have otherwise gotten out of it
Read
April 26, 2023id rather die than read this again
July 17, 2023
Différent et d'une grande tristesse
June 11, 2024
Roman sans intrigue, aux personnages plus ou moins définis (ils n’ont même pas de nom). Mais quand j’ai compris où l’auteur voulait en venir, mon intérêt s’est réveillé.
December 2, 2021
Read this for school. It was boring.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews