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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
I liked it. I do like classic literature, with its dense uptight prose and flowery descriptions, and this doesn't disappoint.
Unlike Jane Eyre, the main character of this story is a bit more dynamic. Lucy Snowe, while similarly an orphan who is plain but quite sharp in intellect, is more emotional than Jane, though still very aloof compared to the other characters in the book. It's been something like 15 years since I read Jane Eyre but it remember it being difficult to connect with Jane, not so with Lucy. Lucy is witty and puts others in their place; has a keen understanding of others' personalities; is ambitious, to an extent. It's interesting to ponder how little she features in her own story; the main character is just in the background so much, especially in the beginning of the book. It takes a long time to get to know Lucy, despite it being her book!
That being said this is a a Charlotte Bronte book and the action is somewhat plodding. You don't get to the central drama of the book until well over halfway in. There's little foreshadowing of what will come later. I do so love when a story connects back with itself, gaps get filled in, answers were looking you in the face all along, but this book doesn't do that. It kind of meanders.
It took me a while to get into this book, but once I did I enjoyed reading it. I was at turns cheering for Lucy, exasperated by her, angry for her. I found it worthwhile, but it won't be for everyone.
Oh, and there is a LOT of French in this book! Without context clues or translation! I can understand a little bit of French but many conversations were unintelligible to me. Including what sounded like some witty insults etc. I don't know if there's an annotated version- that would have been nice. I was way too lazy to ever hunt down translation of the French bits, which undoubtedly exists somewhere. But if it was alongside the text, I would have liked to understand them.
Unlike Jane Eyre, the main character of this story is a bit more dynamic. Lucy Snowe, while similarly an orphan who is plain but quite sharp in intellect, is more emotional than Jane, though still very aloof compared to the other characters in the book. It's been something like 15 years since I read Jane Eyre but it remember it being difficult to connect with Jane, not so with Lucy. Lucy is witty and puts others in their place; has a keen understanding of others' personalities; is ambitious, to an extent. It's interesting to ponder how little she features in her own story; the main character is just in the background so much, especially in the beginning of the book. It takes a long time to get to know Lucy, despite it being her book!
That being said this is a a Charlotte Bronte book and the action is somewhat plodding. You don't get to the central drama of the book until well over halfway in. There's little foreshadowing of what will come later. I do so love when a story connects back with itself, gaps get filled in, answers were looking you in the face all along, but this book doesn't do that. It kind of meanders.
It took me a while to get into this book, but once I did I enjoyed reading it. I was at turns cheering for Lucy, exasperated by her, angry for her. I found it worthwhile, but it won't be for everyone.
Oh, and there is a LOT of French in this book! Without context clues or translation! I can understand a little bit of French but many conversations were unintelligible to me. Including what sounded like some witty insults etc. I don't know if there's an annotated version- that would have been nice. I was way too lazy to ever hunt down translation of the French bits, which undoubtedly exists somewhere. But if it was alongside the text, I would have liked to understand them.
Hard to give this one an accurate rating, because I read it so long ago. But I think three stars is about right.
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really loved this, but the ending sucks. But it's still 5 stars.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Maybe controversial but... I have never been quite so glad to finish a book before. It's not that it's without merit or intrigue, just that it is SO boring. Lucy Snowe, you weren't kidding when you said you weren't a poet!
To be honest, this kinda sent me into a reading slump. I started listening to it, but there was so much untranslated French that I had to start reading it physically to check the footnotes. There were some interesting aspects of the story that I really enjoyed, but it was kind of tough for me to get through.
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Villette was Charlotte Brontë's final novel. I think that's evident in the groundedness of her plot (here groundedness is relative - I mean in comparison to Jane Eyre, not real life) and the dimensionality of her characters. I especially liked Paul Emmanuel - because I didn't like him at first, but I realized how Lucy fell for him by the end. This is not a burning passion from the start, and I appreciate that cool level-headedness from our heroine.
I liked a lot of things about Lucy; she is probably the most likeable (to my tastes, anyway) Brontë heroine thus far. Sure, she's got a morality stick up her ass, but I like her directness, her lack of sentimentality, and that she makes the most queer-esque comments. (Yes, I am a bisexual Lucy Snowe truther - what else was that description of Madame Beck when she was trying to figure out where Doctor John's interests were?)
I'm obsessed, too, with how radical the Protestant-Catholic conflict and its resolution were. I was so sure one of them was going to end up converting, so I was thrilled to see them accept each other and still love each other with that religious difference.
Also, while the resolution to the ghost nun plot was funny, I wish it'd been left without explanation.
I liked a lot of things about Lucy; she is probably the most likeable (to my tastes, anyway) Brontë heroine thus far. Sure, she's got a morality stick up her ass, but I like her directness, her lack of sentimentality, and that she makes the most queer-esque comments. (Yes, I am a bisexual Lucy Snowe truther - what else was that description of Madame Beck when she was trying to figure out where Doctor John's interests were?)
I'm obsessed, too, with how radical the Protestant-Catholic conflict and its resolution were. I was so sure one of them was going to end up converting, so I was thrilled to see them accept each other and still love each other with that religious difference.
Also, while the resolution to the ghost nun plot was funny, I wish it'd been left without explanation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry
Moderate: Ableism, Death, Racism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Colonisation
-So much Catholic-Protestant beef