The Devil in the Flesh
Raymond Radiguet
1923
Around 120 pages
Raymond Radiguet wrote this novel between the ages of sixteen and eighteen. What was I writing when I was that age? Oh, right, my earliest blog posts. That's disheartening.
In the sudden aftermath of World War I, a sixteen-year-old boy falls for a married woman, whose husband is still away at the front. As a statutory rapist, Marthe is portrayed pretty sympathetically. And the boy is smug, as boys that age are.
I'm always amazed when a teenager is able to produce anything other than embarrassing moments, which explains my unapologetic fascination with Olivia Rodrigo. It's still an impressive work regardless of his age. I think cynical youths often mistake their pessimism for wisdom. I think Radiguet captures the dramatics of adolescent romances well, but man, is the main character self-satisfied about it.
Probably not a must read, but enjoyable and will tide you over until The Graduate.
RATING: ****-
Interesting Facts:
The story was semi-autobiographical based on Radiguet's relationship with an older woman.
Radiguet died at the age of 20 from typhus.
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