Reviews

Chéri and the Last of Chéri by Colette

djrmelvin's review against another edition

4.0

On the surface, this is the melodramatic love story of a boytoy and the woman who turned him out. But go deeper, and you see that the characters are going through a lot more than simply growing old - they're all growing up, a condition brought on not only by nature but also by post WWI Paris. Cheri was raised to be an ornament, something his mother, lover, and finally wife could be proud to call her own. What all these women failed to see was that while they moved forward in life, he wanted nothing more than to hold on to what he had - even if it didn't exist anymore. It's that realization, that all things change and that he was incapable of changing with them, that changed my opinion an whether Cheri was a weak coward or a tragic victim.

kirstypotter's review against another edition

2.0

Not for me unfortunately. Maybe tainted by the fact that I've been reading books lately that are very emotive and nostalgic and this was basically the opposite; the characters were frivolous, their speeches were full of empty words and it just fell flat for me.

anothetbennet's review against another edition

1.0

Not what I was expecting!
Chéri is such full of himself...couldn't get attached to these characters. Still going to watch the movie. I hope it's better since the trailer was the reason I wanted to read this.

mydreamsaresilent's review against another edition

5.0

I couldn't tell you why but I have a fondness for this story. The way the author writes, her descriptions, the epoch/setting of this story - I dig it all. It's a very specific reader who would enjoy a story like this one, so I can appreciate how many wouldn't like it, but I really enjoyed it through and through. Full disclosure I saw the movie first, loathed the lead who played Fred, but the sumptuous sets and fashion stuck with me and informed my imagination while reading this. The translation was adequate. I'll say it a million times, I never like when an English translation takes liberties, though I get that it's necessary at times, I just love the flow of the French language and it's exactly that magic that gets lost when translated to English.

shereadsshenoms's review against another edition

4.0

I read this for #ReadingWomenChallenge, needing to read a translated book published pre 1945. I can't say I was expecting to enjoy this much, but honestly laughed out loud with both Chéri and Léa.

I remember Andrew Sean Greer talking about Collette as influence for Less, and I totally see it having now read both.

A delightful read, will probably pick up the sequel at some point too.

br3nd4n's review against another edition

3.0

I’ve had a bad run with French literature of late, but Chéri has put an end to that. This story of an aging courtesan and her young, rich boy toy was scandalous in its day but now comes across as well, quite charming really. Colette's wry and sharp observations of pre-war high society Parisian petulance and vanity, along with its apparently carefree pleasures, are a delight. Of course all this was soon to be obliterated forever by WW1, and it is change and loss that sit emphatically at the heart of this wonderful novel.
Sentus Libri 100 word reviews of overlooked books.

helenmcclory's review against another edition

3.0

A lux weaving of a demimonde, all cattiness and musky scents and pink delicate underthings.
Cheri was by far my favourite of the two, with the latter - The Last of Cheri - unravelling a little as Cheri himself unravels.

sheena's review against another edition

3.0

Interesting portrait of one man's downfall. I found the second part, The Last of Cheri, to be far more fascinating than the first. Can't say I liked the character, but still a good read.