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4.0étoiles sur 5
Passionate, brilliant storytelling, Aoû 5 2002
After seeing the beautifully moving film, Lili, I had to read the novella it was based upon. That led me to Love of Seven Dolls. I expected something similar to Lili's colorful, soulful setting, but Gallico is anything but. His writing is a storm of emotions, action, and darkness - inexplicably compelling and enrapturing. The language isn't particularly polished or eloquent, but the feeling behind them is breathtakingly fierce. Through simple, almost juevenile words, Gallico takes you into the anti-hero Michel Peyrot's mind. He's half-mad and starved of any human kindness. The use of the seven puppets is a stroke of genius and perfectly illuminates Michel's sadly distorted spirit. The protagonist, Mouche, is abused, tender, and childlike, but is wise beyond her time as we see when we delve into her humility, forgiveness, gratitude.I found some parts to be rather disturbing, but this is a study of the best and worst of humanity: Mouche's heroism and Michel's depravity. It's not simple or even realistic, but it mines psychological nuances uncannily, reminiscent of A Streetcar Named Desire. Recommended for mature readers.
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5.0étoiles sur 5
A Love Story Between Two Souls, Juil 12 2002
This slender little novel is possibly one of the most beautiful love stories ever written. Inspired by puppeteers Fran Allison and Burr Hillstrom (to whom it is dedicated), this haunting tale by Paul Gallico weaves a spell of wonder, pain and enchantment. It is a love story in which innocent love (personified by the gamin, Mouche) and cynical hatred (embodied by the evil puppeteer, Michel Peyrot) are locked in mortal combat for the ultimate prize of the man's soul. Peyrot, who goes under the stage name Captain Coq, had a nightmarish childhood and adolescence devoid of human love. His bitter view of his fellow man is only solidified by his experiences in a war. He decides that God deserves nothing but his mockery, so to mock his Creator the man carves puppets, forming them into all of the facets of his complex personality. There are seven dolls: Ali the clumsy giant, self-absorbed and jealous Gigi, world-weary Madame Muscat, kindly Monsieur Nicholas, the bookwormish Dr. Duclos, efficient and clever Carrot-Top, and the thieving fox Reynardo. At first carved to amuse the guards when Peyrot is a POW, the puppets begin to take on a life of their own. This is shown when the girl Mouche walks toward the Seine River to end her miserable life. The puppets call out to her and draw her into their magical world; she interacts with them as though they are living beings like herself. Mouche is so charming that she becomes part of the act. Unfortunately, the master of the puppets is a cruel man who has given himself over to an existence devoted to evil. He despises the girl for the very innocence that makes her such a successful part of his puppet show. To her face, Peyrot shows the depths of his cruelty, even raping her in a vain attempt to debase her to his level. Yet though he can ravage her body, he cannot touch her soul, which is healed anew every day by the love he shows her through his puppets. His inability to reconcile his hatred for general humanity with the unwelcome tenderness Mouche arouses in him leads to schizophrenia, which is manifested by the schism between himself and the puppets. After a time, he does not control them; they compel him to change. In the end, when Mouche prepares to leave, he reveals his plan to commit suicide through the dolls, who plan to destroy themselves. She then realizes who the puppets truly are, and her love for Peyrot brings him back from the edge of the pit into which he'd planned to fling himself. He weeps in remorse, his deformed soul at last becoming human. Feminists would doubtless be upset by her forgiveness of this man's cruelty, but women have long possessed an amazing ability to embrace men's imperfections.(Which is not to say that women are perfect.) Long before psychobabble such as Martian Men and Venusian Women surfaced, this story served to beautifully point out that men and women may be equal, but they are certainly not the same. This is a magical tale, woven by a master story-teller. I highly recommend it.
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5.0étoiles sur 5
From the PuppetMaster to Erik Dessler., Fév 26 2000
Love of Seven Dolls,which was presented to me by my beloved teacher at the age of 15,changed my life in the sense that it made me aware of who I am and what I seek in life.Like Mouche,the lonely naive girl,I have been searching to be found,secure and loved.The story moves constantly between hope and despair,helplessness and salvation.The beautiful descriptions and its atmosphere reminds me well of my favorite Pachelabel Canon in D,where one could also find the longing for universal cosmic love.As tragedy is actually an unfinished comedy,I regard Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux as unfinished Love of Seven dolls.Both men,Michele and Erik have known secluded and bitter and miserable lives,but whereas Michele finally earned true love,Erik dies alone.I will never know rest till I can give Erik all the love Michele got from Mouche;after all,it was the only thing Erik craved.I believe Love of Seven Dolls is an important psychological lesson to everyone who has suffered rejections in life(not only in love):Never lose Hope!or like in Nana Mouskouri`s song "I have a dream"-you can take the future,even if you fail.The story teaches us the essential message that everyone deserves to love and be loved,and soulmates do exit. I am only hope I will find my Erik one day soon.
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