Great translation, retains the kinetic qualities of its original language, so recognizably French from the first sentence, beginning with an exclamation of the divine and leading up, through twists of diction, to the materiality in question: "God, how commonplace, in that time before the chaos and the proclamation of liberties, to have a father who tills the soil and a mother who makes invigorating concoctions!" In 100 short (often half-page) chapters, a great passion is outlined that will color everything it touches with something like the raw and brilliant pigments that its nominal hero, Sebastian, uses to create his paintings-- a practice that grows out of his 18th-century healing, poisoning art, learned from his mother.
The vicious law of homophobia destroys the lives of every sympathetic character in the book, whether son, lover, mother, or innocent bystander. Nevertheless, this is not a polemic. It's a tragic poem that lets us realize just a small part of the incalculable suffering endured by people who loved in a way not sanctioned by their times. ( )

This is a novella about love: Sébastien falls for Balthazar when he sees Balthazar fall off his horse in the woods and impresses him with his knowledge about healing herbs. They are soon inseparable but rumours start spreading, and the love they share isn't enough for Sébastien. This one was a quick read, but not quite as captivating as I was hoping. ( )

Hypnotic, erotic story about the love affair between a French aristocrat and a young farmer he plucks from obscurity. Balthazar and Sebastien meet the day Balthazar is thrown from a horse and Sebastien saves his life with medicinal herbs. The two are besotted with each other and Sebastien soon moves into Balthazar's chateau to learn healing arts; but Sebastien decides he wants to be a painter instead, and Balthazar, who scorns his position and refuses to go to Versailles to attend to the king, finds himself dogged by ugly rumors and is brought to trial and condemned to death. Lovers is like a prose poem about passion and a love that defines the lives of two men. It's a quick read but one that will leave you entranced and enchanted. See my full review here: http://www.bostonbibliophile.com/2012/06/review-lovers-by-daniel-arsand.html ( )