Reviews

Chéri and The End of Chéri by Colette

tsmithers's review

emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

cjt64's review

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

squrrl_grrrl's review

challenging emotional reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

laura821's review

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

baby_capuchin's review

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

hansonkarly's review

funny reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

graceliles's review

2.75

read this because colette is eve babitz’s favorite author but classic french romances are… comment dit-on… boring

greeniezona's review against another edition

4.0

What is it with me and anthologies all of the sudden? At least this is only two books. After the Philip K. Dick anthology I was struggling with feelings of degradation and oppression. I needed something that was the opposite of dystopian American sci-fi, and what better could I find on my shelves than classical French literature by a female author? Plus, it is on my TBR pile challenge list, so extra points!

I must admit my interest was piqued by watching previews for the movie version of Cheri (which I have not yet seen, but want to!) And that preview meant that I could hardly imagine any face but Michelle Pfeifer's for Lea, but what a perfect face to have in mind!

Alright, I really had all of these thoughts that I wanted to assemble about how many wildly glamorous or cutthroat books were written about courtesans before this book wrote about the lives of aging courtesans, and how they might fight to hold onto their power, or not, and how growing up amongst women who had experienced the world in that way would affect a young man. But after sitting with my journal, staring off into space for ages without those thoughts ever coming together, I finally decided to abandon them and move on.

Both books, Cheri and The Last of Cheri were beautifully written and thoroughly entrancing. After reading the first book entirely from the point of view of Lea, it was fascinating in the second to get into Cheri's head. Though I do still wish I could have ever understood what Cheri's wife was thinking.

All in all, a lovely summer read.