Scan barcode
sidharthvardhan's review against another edition
5.0
Almost everyone compares Lucy Snowe to Jane Eyre. Given that neither of them thought of herself as beauty, the comparison seems natural too. Jane is more assertive and less observational compared to Lucy if my memory serves. Jane is heroine of her story and you always feel that. She wants to grow and cherishes dreams.
Lucy doesn't - her lack of assertiveness and low opinion of herself means she is a bit like narrator of The Great Gatsby; people are willing to share their secrets with her, be themselves around her and often, to paraphrase her, won't pay any more attention than they would to furniture. This makes her witness to scenes that people would have hidden from a more assertive or selfish person.
As a result, she is like an invisible observer for a great part of the novel. At one point, she is caught off guard when one of character she is observing looks back and takes a notice of her. That said she holds her ground when she feels that someone else's opinion is being imposed upon her (catholic debate apart, there is another example when suitor of a pretty girl wants her to admire the girl like a big brother).
There is a lot more earnest chase in here after what we call stream of consciousness than Jane Eyre and narrator's working life is more visible. Those maybe reasons why Virginia Woolf and George Eliot held it in higher regard than Jane Eyre.
Lots of reviewers seem to think that Jane Eyre had a better plot. I don't. Jane Eyre's is a pretty straight forward story, Villete is a more life-like novel in its lack of a cliche plot (its not another love triangle). No one can call it a product of romantic wishful thinking
- Bronte was writing from lived experience, rather than from imagination. It also seems to have characters are more completely written (Jane Eyre leaves you to guess a lot). That said, the gothic element (the ghost) in villette seemed forced and spoil it a little pointlessly. If you are looking from a feminist element, there is a powerful scene where Lucy is being chased on street by two men - one of earliest such scenes. She even has a love that remains unrequited but gracefully gotten over with - probably a first for heroine of an English novel.
Lucy doesn't - her lack of assertiveness and low opinion of herself means she is a bit like narrator of The Great Gatsby; people are willing to share their secrets with her, be themselves around her and often, to paraphrase her, won't pay any more attention than they would to furniture. This makes her witness to scenes that people would have hidden from a more assertive or selfish person.
As a result, she is like an invisible observer for a great part of the novel. At one point, she is caught off guard when one of character she is observing looks back and takes a notice of her. That said she holds her ground when she feels that someone else's opinion is being imposed upon her (catholic debate apart, there is another example when suitor of a pretty girl wants her to admire the girl like a big brother).
There is a lot more earnest chase in here after what we call stream of consciousness than Jane Eyre and narrator's working life is more visible. Those maybe reasons why Virginia Woolf and George Eliot held it in higher regard than Jane Eyre.
Lots of reviewers seem to think that Jane Eyre had a better plot. I don't. Jane Eyre's is a pretty straight forward story, Villete is a more life-like novel in its lack of a cliche plot (its not another love triangle). No one can call it a product of romantic wishful thinking
- Bronte was writing from lived experience, rather than from imagination. It also seems to have characters are more completely written (Jane Eyre leaves you to guess a lot). That said, the gothic element (the ghost) in villette seemed forced and spoil it a little pointlessly. If you are looking from a feminist element, there is a powerful scene where Lucy is being chased on street by two men - one of earliest such scenes. She even has a love that remains unrequited but gracefully gotten over with - probably a first for heroine of an English novel.
wollstonecrafty's review against another edition
5.0
I cannot believe I waited so long to read this, but I'm simultaneously so glad I read it in my mid-20s. The way Bronte writes Lucy as not only caught between internal desires and external expectations but also the humiliating twinges of self awareness that accompany WANTING something so so badly, is like, heart-rending for me. It's more than the discussion of Jane choosing her heart or her morals or Lucy being distrustful and unlikable - it's the ambivalent emotions that accompany any choice and the constant aching self awareness of how the world sees you when you're a weird woman. As soon as Lucy "wants" something she feels immediate discomfort with the desire and then another layer of compounded discomfort because of these initial negative feelings, feelings that she casts as self pity.
oscar101's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
mphoebeg's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
narcissia's review against another edition
5.0
While this isn't as easy of a read as Jane Eyre is, it is so masterfully done. It's like Jane Eyre, the gritty grown-up version. I love the subtlety of the motifs Bronte uses, and the not-so-subtle ones. The chapter where she accuses M. Paul of "banquet[ing:] secretly and sacrilegiously on Eve's apples" is great. The whole book is brilliant.
kavarnistka's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
paromita_m's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
emmaisnotavampire's review against another edition
reflective
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? It's complicated
3.75
martharosen's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
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? It's complicated
4.5
monazaneefer's review against another edition
4.0
I’m on the fence: 3 stars, 3.5 or 4? Let’s give four for now but we’ll see...
This book...hurts. I devoured the first 240+ pages of the Collins Classics edition. I envisioned this book rising to my favourites of all time. I hadn’t read this good of a book in years. I was excited and impatient to finish it. But then after those 240 odd pages, it went downhill. I had spoken too soon.
Now this book isn’t like Jane Eyre but having had read JE first, I couldn’t help but subconsciously compare. Not its similarities or anything but more about my experience with the books. At first, I thought that as much as I was loving Villette, I was biased towards JE so it couldn’t surpass it. That was until we reached the first plot twist: Dr John being Graham. Dr John, up until then, seemed nice enough but didn’t really establish himself as a character of his own so him being somebody from Lucy’s childhood added an entire layer to him and their relationship. At this point, I knew I was in love with this book. Plus, given the fact that I never knew what was to come in the book (which wasn’t the case for JE), I started to believe that the freshness of it would give it the edge over JE.
I adored Lucy and despite her not expressing her emotions to the reader and we only are led to understand her from her surroundings and her reactions, I didn’t mind it at all. The only time - and it’s a major time - when I felt like her expressing her feelings would have done me good in terms of comprehension, was her relationship with Monsieur Paul.
Bruh.
Paul....I thought he was this comic side-character to whom Lucy finally finds a friend in. And that was it. So I was completely blindsided when he became a love interest. Heinnnnn??? Noo. It was so not right. However, having slept over it, I think if I reread the book, I’m ready to forgive this bit and restructure my mindset around his character. But I still wouldn’t root for him as a love interest - I mean he would ridicule and criticise Lucy. As a friend - okay. Their banter was comical. As her love interest - noooo.
However, what I will NOT forgive is the Graham plot. No. No. No. No. Never has a book hurt me and sadden me so much. I don’t normally get sad about novels so I think this was the first. I’d have rather Graham love Lucy and die in the end. Why didn’t Lucy tell him! I was hoping Paulina would die, no lie. After it was established that Graham and Paulina got married and had kids, AND the whole Monsieur Paul thing - my interest in the book dwindled. I began skipping passages but there were only a few chapters left anyway.
I just want Lucy to be happy :( I absolutely loved how Bronte wrote about Lucy’s mental health, especially the chapter in which everybody at the boarding house is on vacation and Lucy becomes increasingly lonely and sad. That chapter end was beautiful when she said her having confided in somebody comforted her. So poignant.
I hoped Lucy would develop as a character and it was only till the very end I guess (her confrontation with Madame Beck, her firmness to see Monsieur Paul - in contrast to her passiveness about Graham - and starting up her own school.) Otherwise the character arc seemed non existent. Also, the bit where Monsieur Paul gives her the house to start a school was great but either I didn’t like how it was done. Or it’s just that by then, my interest had dwindled so it seemed just okay and not grand and beautiful like it should have evoked in me.
Sighhhh. Mahn this book is just - yes, it was beautiful. Beautiful. But so, so, SO unsatisfying. I suppose I don’t hate the book because its latter half was alright for what it was meant to be, but it just was not to my preference. I understand Lucy’s love for Graham was to depict unrequited love but I didn’t want that.
I didn’t even know how to rate this book. Four is too much. Three is too less (or is it)?
Update: 13/7/2020 - I think I'd give this book a solid 4-star rating. Having let the book digest and come out of my vexation, I do think book is wonderful. Frustrating, but I suppose that's what Bronte intended. Still very much interested in knowing what I'd feel after a reread.
This book...hurts. I devoured the first 240+ pages of the Collins Classics edition. I envisioned this book rising to my favourites of all time. I hadn’t read this good of a book in years. I was excited and impatient to finish it. But then after those 240 odd pages, it went downhill. I had spoken too soon.
Now this book isn’t like Jane Eyre but having had read JE first, I couldn’t help but subconsciously compare. Not its similarities or anything but more about my experience with the books. At first, I thought that as much as I was loving Villette, I was biased towards JE so it couldn’t surpass it. That was until we reached the first plot twist: Dr John being Graham. Dr John, up until then, seemed nice enough but didn’t really establish himself as a character of his own so him being somebody from Lucy’s childhood added an entire layer to him and their relationship. At this point, I knew I was in love with this book. Plus, given the fact that I never knew what was to come in the book (which wasn’t the case for JE), I started to believe that the freshness of it would give it the edge over JE.
I adored Lucy and despite her not expressing her emotions to the reader and we only are led to understand her from her surroundings and her reactions, I didn’t mind it at all. The only time - and it’s a major time - when I felt like her expressing her feelings would have done me good in terms of comprehension, was her relationship with Monsieur Paul.
Bruh.
Paul....I thought he was this comic side-character to whom Lucy finally finds a friend in. And that was it. So I was completely blindsided when he became a love interest. Heinnnnn??? Noo. It was so not right. However, having slept over it, I think if I reread the book, I’m ready to forgive this bit and restructure my mindset around his character. But I still wouldn’t root for him as a love interest - I mean he would ridicule and criticise Lucy. As a friend - okay. Their banter was comical. As her love interest - noooo.
However, what I will NOT forgive is the Graham plot. No. No. No. No. Never has a book hurt me and sadden me so much. I don’t normally get sad about novels so I think this was the first. I’d have rather Graham love Lucy and die in the end. Why didn’t Lucy tell him! I was hoping Paulina would die, no lie. After it was established that Graham and Paulina got married and had kids, AND the whole Monsieur Paul thing - my interest in the book dwindled. I began skipping passages but there were only a few chapters left anyway.
I just want Lucy to be happy :( I absolutely loved how Bronte wrote about Lucy’s mental health, especially the chapter in which everybody at the boarding house is on vacation and Lucy becomes increasingly lonely and sad. That chapter end was beautiful when she said her having confided in somebody comforted her. So poignant.
I hoped Lucy would develop as a character and it was only till the very end I guess (her confrontation with Madame Beck, her firmness to see Monsieur Paul - in contrast to her passiveness about Graham - and starting up her own school.) Otherwise the character arc seemed non existent. Also, the bit where Monsieur Paul gives her the house to start a school was great but either I didn’t like how it was done. Or it’s just that by then, my interest had dwindled so it seemed just okay and not grand and beautiful like it should have evoked in me.
Sighhhh. Mahn this book is just - yes, it was beautiful. Beautiful. But so, so, SO unsatisfying. I suppose I don’t hate the book because its latter half was alright for what it was meant to be, but it just was not to my preference. I understand Lucy’s love for Graham was to depict unrequited love but I didn’t want that.
I didn’t even know how to rate this book. Four is too much. Three is too less (or is it)?
Update: 13/7/2020 - I think I'd give this book a solid 4-star rating. Having let the book digest and come out of my vexation, I do think book is wonderful. Frustrating, but I suppose that's what Bronte intended. Still very much interested in knowing what I'd feel after a reread.