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Review: 'Cyrano' by Geraldine
McCaughrean
Cyrano loves Roxanne. Roxanne loves
Christian. Only Christian isn’t really Christian and it’s all
very tragic and boo hoo. If you like cheese, you’ll love
Cyrano. Cyrano and Roxanne are the new Romeo and Juliet,
the latest Jordan and Pete. This is a story so colourful
you’ll feel as if you’ve been the spectator of a gay Mardi
Gras.
McCaughrean writes with flair and charisma, enriching the
pages with vivid imagery and allegorical symbols. The tragedy
of Cyrano’s love is shown on a universal scale with dramatic
allusions to the sun, moon and stars. It is love’s heartache
personified.
However, although Cyrano captures the emotion of love,
McCaughrean does little to deter stereotypical notions of
heterosexual love between men and women. The male obligation
to satisfy Roxanne’s romantic ideals is irritatingly sexist,
and her daydreams plain annoying. But in spite of this,
Cyrano’s love is touching and his courage and humility in
battle inspiring. Although Roxanne pines for idealised love,
she also fools Antoine de Guiche and attempts to stop the
macho siege. So although the cynics might dismiss this tale of
love as predictable and clichéd, our author is an expert at
capturing the very heart and soul of her characters.
Cyrano’s wit and sharp tongue provide humorous interludes that
undercut the tragedy of the main plot. With Cyrano’s staged
outbursts, a civil war, a recurrent villain, a love triangle
and comic asides, it’s actually like reading a camped up
Shakespearian play. It is a thoroughly enjoyable read and
contrary to its romantic routes, it is much more than just
another love story.
Caroline Sams
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