Reviews

Claudine at School by Colette

wendyandthebooks's review against another edition

lighthearted slow-paced

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

2.0

eren_reads's review against another edition

funny reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

joe2d2's review against another edition

4.0

absolutely delightful

foggy_rosamund's review

3.0

Set in a rural village in early 20th France, the novel is narrated by Claudine, who is in her last year at the village school. Claudine is fiercely intelligent, easily bored, and desperate for love. She lives alone with her father, who has little time for her, and finds her fellow school-mates don't have her intellect or emotional intelligence. She becomes infatuated by a young school mistress, and is distraught when this woman spurns Claudine in favour of the school's head-mistress. The lesbianism in this novel is surprisingly overt for the time period, and refreshingly accepted as part of life. Claudine develops crushes on many of her school-friends, both male and female. The novel itself doesn't have a particularly interesting plot or structure, but it is held together by Claudine's vivid narration and charisma. I would read more in this series.

jurgen's review against another edition

funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

Heb me heerlijk vermaakt met Colette's eerste roman: 'Claudine op school' (in de vertaling van de Nederlandse schrijfster Jacoba van Velde). En hoewel Claudine een verschrikkelijk nare jonge vrouw/puber is, heeft ze met haar openhartigheid en lak m'n hart gewonnen, hoor – benieuwd naar de verdere Claudine-romans, die echter nooit een Nederlandse vertaling kregen.

rebeccaasavage's review against another edition

4.0

Reading these to sustain me as I work through The Second Sex, since Simone reference Colette’s work several times. This was absolutely lovely—Claudine’s voice was fresh and languorous and always self-possessed. I like having stories of girls who never doubt themselves.

miaducky9222's review against another edition

3.0

I expected more from this book – I've heard a lot of good things, and yet I really disliked it, mainly because Claudine is not a likeable character. Perhaps she wasn't meant to be. I understand that for its time this book may have been shocking and having a female character so confident in herself may have been a breath of fresh air, but I found her really frustrating and I didn't enjoy my time with her. Still, the writing was good and I did enjoy learning more about the school life in France at that time. I think the main problem I had was that I didn't find Claudine relatable at all – I myself was a very insecure teen, so she seemed more like a girl who would have hated and bullied me if we were in school together.

salomlamouette's review against another edition

funny lighthearted reflective

La narratrice Claudine est férocement joueuse dans ce récit d’enfance (et si délicieusement sapphique) ! Et quelle plume lorsque Colette écrit la nature, pouaah ! La première page est magnifique !

(euh par contre c’est quoi ce « Colette et Willy » sur la couverture de cette édition ?!?! Ça va pas non ?!?! Genre Colette n’est pas une vraie écrivaine et il faut se coltiner son mari, ah beh super………. Non mais n’importe quoi……..)

cemstoize's review against another edition

3.0

Autobiographical recount of the last months of school. Claudine is passionate, lively, witty and always looking to get herself in trouble. Loved the couleur locale of a 19th century French town.

edamamebean's review

adventurous funny lighthearted slow-paced

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

4.5