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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
took me awhile to get into, but once i did i found it really good...
At first, I sped through this. I experienced nostalgia as the narrator, Lucy, describes her experience starting life in a new country where she does not speak the language well. However, if you do not know French, this book is extremely difficult to comprehend without using Google translate or the footnotes at the end of the novel. Lucy has a self-deprecating, oddly plain view of the world where she tells the story of her life through describing other peoples’ lives. I did not feel particularly connected to her or her search for love and acceptance by her peers. There is a huge lull in the last third of the book, yet the ending seemed rushed to me. Maybe be an interesting read for someone who speaks French.
Est-ce que tu parles français?
If you are unable to read the above sentence, this is not the book for you. Having a basic grasp of the French language is prerequisite. There is a plethora of French scattered throughout.
My old school French just about carried me through. I can't be bothered to hop around, looking up translations to read a novel tbh. I made do.
At the time of writing, all readers, I daresay, would have spoken French fluently. It was a sign of being well-educated. So, we may forgive this now irritating aspect - it was not intended for us.
Jane Eyre, it is commonly known, is my favourite book of all time - in the world ever!
I have no idea why it took me so long to read another book by the same author. But I sort of wish I hadn't.
This is NOT a bad book. It's just not great either.
I do not particularly like Lucy Snowe (the MC). She is rather severe upon everybody yet is lacking in many aspects herself. In short, she is rather dull.
There are characters around her who capture some interest. Dr John being perhaps the liveliest. Everybody has flaws - great. No, as not many have any redeeming features either. Does this make them more 'real'? Possibly.
Yet, having said that, there is something likeable about Lucy and I found myself wanting her to get a happily ever after. Perhaps it's her truly independent spirit which endears her to me.
Incidentally, I believe the fictional Villette to be loosely based on Brussels.
It's also long. Mixed with my tedious trudging through this tome and the distraction of The Virus going on, it's taken me over a month to read the flippin' thing!
If you are unable to read the above sentence, this is not the book for you. Having a basic grasp of the French language is prerequisite. There is a plethora of French scattered throughout.
My old school French just about carried me through. I can't be bothered to hop around, looking up translations to read a novel tbh. I made do.
At the time of writing, all readers, I daresay, would have spoken French fluently. It was a sign of being well-educated. So, we may forgive this now irritating aspect - it was not intended for us.
Jane Eyre, it is commonly known, is my favourite book of all time - in the world ever!
I have no idea why it took me so long to read another book by the same author. But I sort of wish I hadn't.
This is NOT a bad book. It's just not great either.
I do not particularly like Lucy Snowe (the MC). She is rather severe upon everybody yet is lacking in many aspects herself. In short, she is rather dull.
There are characters around her who capture some interest. Dr John being perhaps the liveliest. Everybody has flaws - great. No, as not many have any redeeming features either. Does this make them more 'real'? Possibly.
Yet, having said that, there is something likeable about Lucy and I found myself wanting her to get a happily ever after. Perhaps it's her truly independent spirit which endears her to me.
Incidentally, I believe the fictional Villette to be loosely based on Brussels.
It's also long. Mixed with my tedious trudging through this tome and the distraction of The Virus going on, it's taken me over a month to read the flippin' thing!
Geen gemakkelijk boek om verschillende redenen, maar wel een boek dat het waard is om er moeite voor te doen.
Mijn hele bespreking is hier te vinden: http://bettinaschrijft.blogspot.com/2023/04/villette-charlotte-bronte.html
Mijn hele bespreking is hier te vinden: http://bettinaschrijft.blogspot.com/2023/04/villette-charlotte-bronte.html
When our book club chose this as 'the classic book you always meant to read but didn't,' I was all in. Jane Eyre is one of my all-time favorites, and if Villette garnered even more critical acclaim than Jane, how could I not love it? Alas, gentle reader, I did not. The language is as gorgeous, but the action fell far short. Lucy Snow's mental perseverations are frustrating, and the sense that she's not a reliable narrator grew throughout the novel, making it hard to sympathize with her. Even within the limiting social norms of the period, Lucy seemed full of self-censure; I wasn't sure if her frequent inability to act signaled her psychological state or just a rambling author. Many of the characters were too exaggerated to be quite believable, and, as in most novels of the period, characters disappeared and reappeared in a series of incredible coincidences. I'm glad I read it, and it was laugh-out-loud funny at times, but I doubt it will be a frequent reread the way Jane Eyre is.
Villette - Charlotte Brontë
I struggled with this book for a long time. I was unsure what it was about and who Lucy Snowe was as a character. What she wanted, valued and was working towards. Most of the book felt lacking in momentum for me until I understood that it’s just a book where we spend time with Lucy for a part of her life in Villette. When I could settle in that understanding I enjoyed the book more. Lucy is a lovely young woman that tries to convince herself and others that she’s always calm and collected, not at all driven by her emotions. This is of course not true and in reality she cares deeply about the people in her life and reacts violently to things that happen to them and herself. Lucys friendship with Paul Emanuel was my favourite. It starts of as a little bit of banter and both of them being unsure of what the other thinks of the other but eventually grows and becomes really beautiful and a place for Lucy to show her feelings and be honest to herself. Without getting into spoilers I just need to say that the ending cut me deep and made me realise how invested I actually was in Lucy’s life and happiness. Highley recommend.
I struggled with this book for a long time. I was unsure what it was about and who Lucy Snowe was as a character. What she wanted, valued and was working towards. Most of the book felt lacking in momentum for me until I understood that it’s just a book where we spend time with Lucy for a part of her life in Villette. When I could settle in that understanding I enjoyed the book more. Lucy is a lovely young woman that tries to convince herself and others that she’s always calm and collected, not at all driven by her emotions. This is of course not true and in reality she cares deeply about the people in her life and reacts violently to things that happen to them and herself. Lucys friendship with Paul Emanuel was my favourite. It starts of as a little bit of banter and both of them being unsure of what the other thinks of the other but eventually grows and becomes really beautiful and a place for Lucy to show her feelings and be honest to herself. Without getting into spoilers I just need to say that the ending cut me deep and made me realise how invested I actually was in Lucy’s life and happiness. Highley recommend.
All the classic novels I tried so far are hard for me to read. The style does not resonate with me. The stories feel distant. The characters feel empty. I have more classic novels on my list, like Emma, hopefully I will change my mind.
I know I'm a selfish reader, but this book took more out of me than it could ever give back.
Maybe it's my fault for constantly returning to books that take me through so much emotional turmoil but always at the end of them, I await (and get) my gratification. The moment where our heroine says "reader, I married him," and you pause for a moment, close your eyes and smile because, despite the hardship, all is well. This book was anything but.
I can't tell whether I should commend Lucy for having such a steadfast spirit or pity her for the way that steadfastness was more often than not, simply some form of hopeless self-restraint. It was her (perhaps rightful) cynicism that I struggled with the most. Hers was a character to accept all forms of torment as her cross to bear in this life. Never asking or hoping for anything more. There was not one time she did not resolutely drink her cup down to the dregs. I could not but grieve as I watched.
Charlotte Brontë has this way of painting a perfect picture of reticence, but with Lucy, it becomes so difficult because she shies away from you just as much as she does the others. I finished the book less than an hour ago and I could tell you more about any other character than I could her. She's a withdrawn, doleful little creature that you want to love but aren't allowed to. She assumes you won't care.
Can you blame Lucy for her inability to trust or receive love? Is it wrong to think she should yet hope? I really don't know and truthfully, I don't think she knows either.
4 stars because it hurt my heart and 500 pages of that is too much. Most passages are highlighted though so I will at least give Villette that
Maybe it's my fault for constantly returning to books that take me through so much emotional turmoil but always at the end of them, I await (and get) my gratification. The moment where our heroine says "reader, I married him," and you pause for a moment, close your eyes and smile because, despite the hardship, all is well. This book was anything but.
I can't tell whether I should commend Lucy for having such a steadfast spirit or pity her for the way that steadfastness was more often than not, simply some form of hopeless self-restraint. It was her (perhaps rightful) cynicism that I struggled with the most. Hers was a character to accept all forms of torment as her cross to bear in this life. Never asking or hoping for anything more. There was not one time she did not resolutely drink her cup down to the dregs. I could not but grieve as I watched.
Charlotte Brontë has this way of painting a perfect picture of reticence, but with Lucy, it becomes so difficult because she shies away from you just as much as she does the others. I finished the book less than an hour ago and I could tell you more about any other character than I could her. She's a withdrawn, doleful little creature that you want to love but aren't allowed to. She assumes you won't care.
Can you blame Lucy for her inability to trust or receive love? Is it wrong to think she should yet hope? I really don't know and truthfully, I don't think she knows either.
4 stars because it hurt my heart and 500 pages of that is too much. Most passages are highlighted though so I will at least give Villette that
emotional
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
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:
No