5 stars

Inseparable by Simone de Beauvoir is a beautifully written, wistful tale of two girls whose friendship begins at age 9 and continues until the untimely death of one of them at age 22.
While autobiographical in nature, this is told as a novel, chronicling the meeting and deepening relationship between Sylvie (Beauvoir) and Andree (Zaza LaCoin). The girls share their private thoughts, secrets, and dreams of their futures, all in the context of post-WWI France. Strict religious beliefs play a huge role in Andree’s life, leading to her parents’ heavy-handed discipline and restrictions of Andree’s activities. Her spirited individualism is stifled and crushed over and over. Sylvie, the narrator, describes in aching prose Andree’s struggles against this family and religious “regime,” and Andree’s inability to control her life and her friendships, leading ultimately to incredible loneliness and her despair.
This book is short, but the prose is so moving that I savored every page slowly. Deemed “too intimate” to publish when written in 1954, there is nothing unsavory in the novel. Instead it is clearly a look back by the author to a time of deep friendship and closeness between two intelligent, inquisitive girls as they grow into young adulthood, with little support from the society in which they existed.
There is a wonderful introduction by Margaret Atwood, setting the stage for the reader to enjoy this work. I highly recommend this book for its profound look at female characters as they grow and develop, and the beautiful tender prose that Beauvoir so masterfully writes. What a joy to read this novel!

Thank you to Ecco Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest opinion.

Inseparable is a beautifully composed semi-autobiographical novella written in 1954 by Simone de Beauvoir but has never been published until now. This novella is at once a hauntingly beautiful story of pure selfless love, and a sharp and witty commentary on gender roles and religion in the world she and "Andree" grew up in. Extremely personal and strikingly intimate De Beauvoir has introduced us to "Andree" whom she met at nine years old whom she would come to admire, cherish, and love dearly for years to come; Who, arguably, had one of the biggest roles in shaping De Beauvoir's life and providing a source of often revisited inspiration.

For anyone familiar with De Beauvoir this novel is like coming home. One cannot simply read and observe from a distance De Beauvoir's narrative, instead we fall head first into the story, falling in love with Sylvie herself and developing our own fondness for Andree through the strength and beauty of De Beauvoir's raw and heart wrenching voice, an accomplishment that is laced throughout every story she has left us with but perhaps more so than ever with Inseparable.

It is impossible to say much more without revealing too much I fear, so you'll have to get a copy and experience it for yourselves come September. You won't be disappointed.

Thank you to netgalley, Ecco, and of course the late and amazing Simone de Beauvoir herself for bringing this novel to light, and for gifting me an e-copy in order for me to share with you my honest opinion. My heart is a bit larger, my faith a little stronger thanks to Inseparable.

The narrative of a young girl is delightful & heartbreaking in it's simplicity.
This novel, which is short and sweet, reads like a memoir. It has only been published after her death because of it's intimacy.
Simone de Beauvoir and her childhood friend, Elizabeth "Zaza" Lacoin were inseparable until Zaza's untimely death in her early 20's.
Her bohemian philosophy was evident at an early age and it was interesting the way she contrasted it with the Lacoin family's bourgeois lifestyle and Zaza's mother's pursuit of a suitable husband for her daughters, regardless of their feelings.

<B>I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review</b>: First, read this:
<blockquote>Madame Gallard had indulgently told Mama the story of Andrée’s martyrdom: the cracked skin, enormous blisters, paraffin-coated dressings, Andrée’s delirium, her courage, how one of her little friends had kicked her while they were playing a game and had reopened her wounds. She’d made such an effort not to scream that she’d fainted. When she came to my house to see my notebooks, I looked at her with respect; she took notes in beautiful handwriting, and I thought about her swollen thigh under her pleated skirt. Never had anything as interesting happened to me. I suddenly had the impression that nothing had ever happened to me at all.

All the children I knew bored me, but Andrée made me laugh when we walked together on the playground between classes. She was marvelous at imitating the brusque gestures of Mademoiselle Dubois, the unctuous voice of Mademoiselle Vendroux, the principal. She knew loads of secrets about the place from her older sister: these young women were affiliated with the Jesuits; they wore their hair parted on the side when they were still novices, in the middle once they’d taken their vows.</blockquote>
Here is a world limned in a few lines...we're given the vast scope of the world surrounding the small, claustrophobically so it will turn out, world of our story, and it is utterly impossible to look away from it.

Simone de Beauvoir was a master of the craft of storytelling.

Author de Beauvoir did not write solely for women, of course, though she deliberately treated subjects of importance to women. But, by her choice of this wildly romantic subject matter, it does not hurt to be deeply identified with women to obtain the fullest impact of the story. I acknowledge that it's simplistic to say that, to be fully satisfied with a deep dive into an adolescent passion, one would most likely need to be a woman. I am not alone in holding this reductive opinion, though, if one simply goes by the marketing materials of similarly-themed work. I am aware that this generalization will cause irritation and displeasure among significant parts of a book by Simone de Beauvoir's audience. But the subject matter limits the appeal, even if that's not the case with her writing. No criticism of her writing is really possible for me, as I have read translations of her work only; the most I can say is that, based on the pervasive beauty of the phrase-making in the work of de Beauvoir's I've read, the likelihood of her own creation being other than beautiful is very low.

That said, at some risk to my Comments section's peacefulness, I don't think the book should be down-rated for that quite piffling (if explanatory of the comparative dearth of male reviewers looking at it) quibble. If you would like to read more, visit my blog: https://expendablemudge.blogspot.com/2021/09/inseparable-never-before-seen-novel-by.html

This novella is a never published before piece of
biographical fiction by Simone de Beauvoir, written in 1954 and translated by Sandra Smith, about two girls friendship in the postwar France.
It is a Biographical retelling of Simone's (Sylvie) childhood friendship with Zaza Lacoin (Andree). Despite coming from similar social and economic backgrounds, Sylvie and Andree have a different view on topics like marriage, religion and family dynamics. While Sylvie is phylosophical and reflective, Andree is obedient and observant of catholic norms. But extremely dramatic and impulsive. As their relationship grows stronger they become inseparable until tragedy strikes.
It is one of the most heartfelt books I've read by Simone de Beauvoir. It's beautiful written and extremely intimate. A little gem that has some bonuses: a preface by Margaret Atwood, an afterwords by Sylvie Le Bon de Beauvoir, Simone's daughter and selected letters between Simone and Zaza Lacoin. A book to have and cherish.

This short novel was written in 1954 by acclaimed philosopher and writer Simone de Beauvoir but was never published until now. It is a fictionalized story of her close friendship with Zaza Lacoin, renamed Andrée here. Sylvie (de Beauvoir) meets Andrée when are young girls at Catholic school during World War 1. She’s intensely drawn to her. (Sylvie is obsessed with Andrée’s burned thigh.) They develop a close friendship that sustains them through romantic and familial difficulties.

As the two girls grow into young women, they struggle with the rigid social and religious mores of the time. How can a young woman define her own identity in the face of such strict expectations? Andrée wrestles with the meaning of her strict Catholic faith and what it means for her own life. Sylvie wonders whether Andrée shares her all-consuming love. They strain to find time together in the face of the extensive family responsibilities Andrée’s mother imposes on her. In time, love and the question of marriage rears its troublesome head. Joy and sadness result. Through it all, their friendship buoys them.

Inseparable is beautifully written. There are many lush descriptions of nature (“The wind enthralled me. I felt that from one end of the earth to the other, the trees spoke to each other and spoke to God; it sounded like both music and a prayer were piercing my heart before rising to the heavens”; emotions; amusing and pointed characterizations. de Beauvoir opens a window onto a time when women’s lives were severely constrained, when religious and intellectual questions were taken seriously. The two young women’s struggle to find their place in the world portends a future when women will be taken more seriously.

I’ve never read any of de Beauvoir’s books previously. I enjoyed this so much I immediately looked up her other books to see what else I’d like to read.

Margaret Atwood’s marvelous introduction provides context for de Beauvoir’s impact on women and female writers in the last half of the twentieth century.

Highly recommend. On the downside, because this is based on real life, it doesn’t provide the same satisfying story arc as fiction (trying not to spoil!)

Content warnings: self-harm, suicidal ideation.

I was lucky enough to snag a free copy of Simone de Beauvoir's INSEPARABLE via a BookPerk's giveaway. Thanks for the early look, and have a safe weekend!

Inseparable
By Simone de Beauvoir

Simone de Beauvoir is considered by many to be an icon and early star of the pre-feminist movement. She was, in fact, a feminist before feminism as we know it came to be.

This book is a semi-autobiographical story of two girls who meet, become best friends, and grow up in an era of strict societal mores and the even stricter teachings of the Catholic Church. The two girls – one from a large wealthy upper-class family, one from a family of more modest means – struggle with their beliefs about the existence/nature of God and what is sin. This in a post-World War I France where ideas and literature were opening up young minds to a whole new view of life.

This is truly a book describing ideas ahead of their time. Mlle. De Beauvoir herself had a dear friend and their relationship was very similar to the one she describes here. The loss of that friend seems to have affected her and shaped her thinking for the rest of her life. As a precursor to feminism, it points the way for much that has followed.

I am so glad that this work by Simone de Beauvoir is finally being published. This poignant and well-written tale of childhood and friendship takes us on an emotional journey that is based on real-life memories. Sartre (her life-long partner) was dismissive of this work so I believe that is why this was never published. I have read other work by Simone de Beauvoir including "The Mandarins" which also was loosely based on her life, though she preferred to keep an intellectual distance and did not tend to care for fictionalized memoirs. I think that is what makes this book so memorable -- she allows herself to feel the emotions and feelings of nostalgia and loss. With a compelling introduction by Margaret Atwood, this book is a must read.

"Inseparable" by Simone de Beauvoir is a French novel written in 1954 and remained unpublished until today, September 7, 2021!

At nine years old, Sylvie and Andrée meet at their Paris school and form a friendship that takes them into young adulthood.

Sylvie is watchful and conflicted. She is philosophical and not afraid to form her own opinion.

Andrée is emotional and unpredictable. She is idealistic, and often unable to find her voice within her circumstances.

Although very different, their loyalty to each other never falters. Their discussions explore and challenge the current norms of post WWI France: arranged marriages, religious conformity, social class and why women are viewed so poorly in the world.

This story is told through the voice and memory of Sylvie and recounts their friendship through November 25, 1929 when it abruptly ends. It is beautifully written and a startlingly poignant autobiographical Coming-of-Age story about Simone de Beauvoir (Sylvie) and her 'inseparable' friend, Elisabeth ‘Zaza‘ Lacoin (Andrée).

This story is a novelized account of a friendship that ends too soon, yet continues to live in the mind and heart of the author and begs to be told. In 1954 it was considered too bold for publication so it remained in Ms. de Beauvoir's possession until she passed in 1986. Her literary executor was given the rights to move forward with her unpublished work when they deemed it to be the right time.

That day has finally arrived!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ecco Publishing and Simone de Beauvoir for a free ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.

⋆⋆⋆⋆½

Thank you to NetGalley and Ecco for allowing me to read this ARC!


Content Warning: misogyny, death, parental abuse (emotional and verbal).


Written in 1954, but never before published, this short book details the intense and lasting friendship between two young girls, Sylvie and Andrée. Based off of de Beauvoir's own relationship with the fascinating, melancholy Zaza Lacoin, and exploring existentialism, religion and the restrictive lives women were expected to lead, this novel deepens our understanding of the first transformative love that shaped many of de Beauvoir's beliefs and even her future as one of France's most recognized feminist voices.

The novel starts in a classroom: Sylvie, a dedicated and studious pupil, is surprised when another little girl she's never met before takes the seat beside her. This is Andrée, one of the daughters of a large, well-respected family, who immediately captures Sylvie's attention with her sparkling and irreverent personality. It's this relationship that will change the course of Sylvie's life forever, and in this simple exchange between the two girls, we see already the blossoming of feelings deeper than friendship on Sylvie's part.

The prose is beautiful, both moving and full of simplistic descriptions that insert you directly into the scenes, and the interactions between the two women are fraught with love and tension that extends deeply beneath the surface. Although Andrée's emotions towards her companion are not quite so intense, it doesn't take away at all from the sweet, tender -- and often selfless -- love that Sylvie develops and nurtures for her friend. De Beauvoir also perfectly renders that sensation we sometimes have with our friends, lovers and those we cherish: do I truly understand you? And what does it mean to be understood by someone, in every sense of the word?

I must also mention the deep and profound discussion that takes place regarding religion, both in Sylvie's own inner monologues and in dialogue between the characters. As someone who was raised in the Christian faith (but nowhere near as intensely as Andrée or even Sylvie) many of the questions posed here resonated with me. Can we fathom God's will? Does God want us to be obedient in all ways and in everything, including in ways that smother or harm our spirit? Sylvie (and by extension, Simone herself) loses faith early on; Andrée remains a devoutly, fervently religious Catholic; but in spite of these differences, it makes no difference to their friendship, which is full of the kind of pure love that cannot be destroyed even by such a divide.

It's the constraints and pressures of a life of perfect goodness, as well as the expectation of perfect womanhood, that ultimately leads to the tragedies that later befall Andrée and Sylvie. Andrée's mother, who she adores completely, is oftentimes the enemy who cuts her down and tries to force her into a mold that has previously destroyed her own life. There we see again the cycle of motherhood and the sharing and passing down of their trauma and grief onto their daughters, a cycle that still to this day continues to ensnare women. It's hard to fully discuss and relate in a review all the feelings and philosophies at play here. Only by reading this work can you feel and understand its profoundness.

Now, before I go onto recommend this book, I feel there's one more thing I must address. As someone who is aware of de Beauvoir's morally and ethically repugnant relationships with young women in her later life, I can't review this without making mention of it. These women (many whom were underage, and were pupils she taught at school) were exploited and taken advantage of both by de Beauvoir, and by her partner, Sartre, who she often introduced them to.

While this work personally was something I found moving, beautiful, and complex, I must say that my rating is based only on that fact. While de Beauvoir's prolific work changed the face and understanding of feminism and women's rights forever, I would be especially remiss not to bring it up while reviewing a book that deals directly with those topics as well as with her sexuality and relationships with women. I think it would have been more honest and forthcoming if these things had been mentioned in Atwood's foreword or in de Beauvoir's daughter's afterword. Going forward, we must acknowledge these things that de Beauvoir did, if only so that we may do justice to the young women (and girls) who became her victims.

I thought that this was an interesting novel, with added intrigue for being a never before published novel; a novel from another era; and the author, of course. I agree with others that the novel gained confidence and competence and that the final third was the most satisfying part. It's also interesting to think of the autobiographical parallels to de Beauvoir's life and to explore the culture of her time with ours (as well as the state of feminism and women's place in our culture then and now). I would highly recommend this for book clubs or other discussion groups.

I can see why Partner STR ATE R Did not allow her to publish this book Cause it's based on romance with this woman named Andrea And it was not after her writing style as well and do not like tha. It's a very interesting story how they formed a friendship and how they drifted apart and came back together. When she was in this accident she loved this Bernard large but I'm on ... My mother did not approve of any so she was just always trying to get away from everybody It was a good book. It was a good book then she found another people with another man called Pascal . Where's on a good boo Especially like the Letters at the end of the book

I enjoyed “Inseparable” very much. The descriptions were thorough & lifelike. It was easy to imagine the settings, faces, clothing, & mannerisms; & all brought the story to life. The characters were strong in the story they told. It’s a short book, set in another era, with an interesting tale.

Inseparable is a short work of fiction, which follows strong parallels to the author's life. Sylvie, the narrator, strongly resembles Simone de Beauvoir, and Andree, about whom the narration largely rests, holds a strong resemblance to Zaza Lacoin, Simone's best friend from school. The two girls met while young and were always number one and number two in their classes. It was known early on that Sylvie, like Simone, would continue on to university. Andree, on the other hand, had to work hard to earn that privilege. Her commitments and expectations held by her family were significant: domestic chores, social obligations, religious expectations, and preparation for marriage were greater priorities for her family than were Andree's wishes to pursue education. Sylvie is mystified by the inconveniences of Andree's life and often is infuriated on her behalf. Her own life, in comparison, is much simpler, and she is granted much more freedom by her parents.

If you enjoyed "Mémoires d'une jeune fille rangée," then you'll like the similar ease and nostalgia of "Inseparable."

Following the translation of the novel, there are notes from Sylvie Lebon de Beauvoir, Simone's daughter, about Simone and Zaza's relationship.

It is said that this novel was not published in de Beauvoir's lifetime, because it was too intimate. There is speculation, too, that Sartre advised against publishing it, and that perhaps he was threatened by the strength of this relationship.

This was a quick and enjoyable read. While it provided a sad reminder of the limited options once available to women, the special friendship between the two main characters was inspiring. The style of prose kept me turning pages late into the night. Don’t miss out on this gem. I find myself now wanting to read more works by Simone de Beauvoir.

De Beauvoier's prose is descriptive and lyrical. There were moments of absolute brilliance especially towards the end of the book. I thought to myself, this book would make an excellent book club selection. De Beauvoier delves into social conventions, love and mental health. How is our society different or the same as during De Beauvoier's time? What do we need for a happy life? I thought the ending was a bit rushed. Her book felt like the wonderful start of a full fledged book vs a full fledged book.

At the age of nine, Sylvie met Andrée. New to the school, Andrée was a wonder to Sylvie and quickly a friendship bloomed. Raised within the early 1900s, societal and family influences are ingrained into their everyday lives. Throughout the years, the girls turn toward each other as they try to make sense of it all. A bond tightly woven; they are “inseparable”.

Loosely based on true events between Simone de Beauvoir and Elisabeth “Zaza” Lacoin, the bond these two girls shared jumps off the page. Eloquently written with intense descriptions and emotion, this novel is unlike any other.

Given the time frame and the girls’ upbringing within Catholicism, there is much reference to faith and beliefs. However, this is not a religious story as the references are in regards to the struggles and pressures the girls go through. Hence, a rating of 5 out of 5 stars is given.

A quick read detailing the importance of friendship, this is a must read for any female.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #Inseparable and #Ecco for the opportunity to voluntarily review this book.

A beautifully written story by Simone about her intense relationship with her childhood friend who died at a young age.The characters come alive the atmosphere is lovely.A wonderful read.#netgalley #ecco

I absoluetly loved this book. Sometimes when an undiscovered book comes out from a deceased author you get excited and then get disappointed. Not with Inseparable! I literally felt like I was transported back in time and was a third person watching the lives of Sylvie and Andree go by. The translation is fantastic and the story is a simple one of two girls growing up figuring out who then want to be in a world that tells them what they should be. It's a short novel but it is a powerful one. It's also stated that it is autobiographical based on letters from Simone. Highly recommended. Thanks you to Netgalley and Ecco books for the advanced copy.