Review: Flaubert’s Parrot by Julian Barnes

Review of the book “Flaubert’s Parrot” by Julian Barnes.

Flaubert’s Parrot, by Julian Barnes. It is a work that combines fiction and essay, biography and literary criticism, humor and reflection, around the figure and work of the great French writer Gustave Flaubert.

Flaubert’s Parrot, the author narrates the life of Felicidad, a humble servant who dedicates her existence to taking care of her masters and looking for love in different men who disappoint her. Her only company and comfort is a stuffed parrot given to her by one of her suitors and which she venerates as a sacred relic.

But what is Flaubert’s parrot? What meaning does it have for the writer and for his work? How does it relate to his personal life and his worldview? These are some of the questions asked by the protagonist and narrator of Barnes’ novel, Dr. Geoffrey Braithwaite, a retired and widowed doctor who feels a deep admiration for Flaubert and who decides to travel through France following in the author’s footsteps.

On his journey, Braithwaite visits the places where Flaubert lived and wrote, such as Rouen, Croisset and Trouville, and finds various objects related to him, such as letters, manuscripts, portraits and furniture. But what intrigues him most are the stuffed parrots that are exhibited in different museums and that are attributed to the writer. Which one of them is the authentic one? How important is it to find out?

Braithwaite is not satisfied with being a mere literary tourist, but wants to deepen his knowledge of Flaubert and his work. To do this, he uses various sources, such as biographies, reviews, academic studies or the author’s own novels. But he also uses his own imagination and his sense of humor to recreate episodes from Flaubert’s life or to invent lists, questionnaires or games about him.

Thus, Barnes’s novel becomes a fascinating collage of texts that mix reality and fiction, erudition and irony, analysis and emotion. The result is an original and fun work, but also profound and moving, which brings us closer to the genius and humanity of Flaubert, but also to the pain and love of Braithwaite himself.

Flaubert’s Parrot is a novel that will not only appeal to Flaubert admirers, but also to lovers of literature in general. It is a novel that invites us to reflect on the art of writing and reading, on truth and lies, on life and death. It is a novel that shows us that a parrot can be much more than a parrot.

Barnes explores themes such as obsession, literature and nostalgia through the character of Braithwaite, who becomes a true detective to try to find more information about the parrot that appears in Flaubert’s photo. As the protagonist delves into the life and work of the French writer, he also reveals his own reflections on literature and the importance that objects have in our lives.

The novel is a simple and elegant work, which combines the erudition of its author with a fluid and entertaining narrative. Barnes is able to create an absorbing story from a simple detail, such as the parrot in Flaubert’s photo. Likewise, the work is full of literary and cultural references, which makes it an interesting work for both literature lovers and the curious who seek to learn more about Flaubert and his time.

Furthermore, “Flaubert’s Parrot” has a melancholic and nostalgic tone that intensifies as we advance in the plot. The figure of Braithwaite, a lonely man obsessed with the past, is a reflection of Barnes’s own obsession with history and literature. This combination of nostalgia and obsession turns the novel into a deep and emotional work, which invites reflection on the role of objects and literature in our lives.

In short, “Flaubert’s Parrot” is a short but intense work, which combines erudition with an entertaining and fluid narrative. Barnes manages to create a fascinating universe from a simple detail, and manages to convey a deep melancholy through the figure of his protagonist. A work recommended for both literature lovers and those looking for an interesting and emotional read.