Why you shouldn't be afraid to read Swann's Way

By BlackCorner

Holy crap, this book was so good it kinda blew past anything I thought it would be. It’s seriously the most tempting, juicy heartthrob thing I’ve ever read. And don’t let the whole “Marcel Proust” thing scare you. He’s mostly talking about stuff we’ve all lived through, even if it’s wrapped in that purple, super long-winded style. I was weirdly intimidated at first, but it ended up feeling almost charming once I realized he’s basically describing the everyday stuff: fighting to get to sleep, missing a girl, wanting good brioche, forgetting a song and then getting that little urge again after a drink… all the tiny little emotional moments. It’s the daily-life closeness, and honestly I’ve never seen those feelings put into words this beautifully. Even though it’s “In Search of Lost Time,” I feel like he kind of already found it—like the whole point is appreciating whatever life is giving you right now. It’s like a way of writing down the small mundane days everybody gets, and somehow making them feel important. The best parts aren’t always the huge dramatic moments; it’s these little pockets of life that he nails. Also it felt especially fitting to read during the pandemic. If you backed out after a page or two, please try again. I haven’t really felt “in love” with a book like this before. I was genuinely scared to finish because I didn’t want it to be over. I just hope more people give it a real shot so they can feel that wide, endless beauty it shows you. I’m actually devastated about it now. I ordered part 2, but it won’t get here until March 9, so… yeah. EDIT: If you do read it, take your time. It’s totally fine to reread sentences. He also drops references to a bunch of gorgeous art—look them up when you see the titles, because it helps a lot and they’re really pretty.