Scan barcode
A review by lizziestudieshistory
Villette by Charlotte Brontë
2.0
Minor spoilers for Jane Eyre.
Small edit to say: this book has FAR TOO MUCH UNNECESSARY FRENCH. I can read French well, so understanding wasn't a huge issue. But switching between two languages, pointlessly, is INFURIATING. And I think is a large reason why I LOATHE this book. I don't like Charlotte Brontë's style at the best of times. However, I have some to despise her predilection for showing off. Why is there so much French in Villete? Because Charlotte Brontë can speak French and wants to show that off. There was no other reason whatsoever to randomly insert sections of dialogue or phrases in French. We know this book is set in France and the characters are largely speaking French. We, as English readers, don't need to be constantly reminded. All it does is create a barrier to entry for people and I fundamentally disagree with it as someone who champions classics as accessible literature.
Original review:
Where do I even start with this? I hated it, so much so I think it's slightly irrational. It's dry, tedious, and slow. I want to say emotionless but that's not really the case - there is passion behind the veneer of propriety and restraint but it's deliberately repressed by Lucy, making for the most intensely unlikeable book I've read since The Moonstone.
Villette is, sort of, a love story. At least that's just about the only plot point we can ascribe to it. We see Lucy Snowe's reckless journey to Villette and make a living for, and then establish an independence (mostly) by, herself. That's it - the love story never really comes into fruition. It's hinted to by Lucy, our narrator, before it's then crushed in it's infancy by Brontë and her cast of truly horrible characters. It's there but never gets a chance to shine. For some, I've seen, this is a strength of the novel, particularly when they disliked the conclusion to Jane Eyre. However, while I've never loved the framing of Jane Eyre's marriage to Mr Rochester, I don't dislike it's existence - it makes sense for both the reader, narrative, and characters! It satisfies. Villette does none of this, thanks to Lucy Snowe's aloof reserve and lack of confidencein the reader. We are left a little confused, knowing Lucy is providing for herself (with a little help from M. Paul and a random bookseller?) and is living a (probably lonely) life in relative comfort of her school. After all of this inane and slow description of her tedious life at Madame Beck's we have nothing. Fantastic. WHAT WAS THE POINT?
Now, this sounds like I don't like books that have little to no plot - I assure you, this is far from the case. Plot can be nonexistent and I can still love a book. But in return for a lack of plot, I need characters! I need real, living characters that consume my soul! Not likeable ones, or even pleasant ones. I need compelling people to fall in love with. My favourite books are ALL character driven! Emma, Wuthering Heights, any book with Fitz and the Fool (too many to list!) They all have characters that, whether you like them or not, feel like they could walk off the page and exist. Even Jane Eyre feels like a real person
Villette has exactly one character who feels real enough: M. Paul. And I loathed him. If anyone thinks Mr Rochester is bad just wait until you meet this selfish, controlling misogynistic twit. WHY IS HE THE LOVE INTEREST? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH CHARLOTTE BRONTË?! For all of his faults, at least Heathcliff actually LIKED Catherine! He's a horrible person (so is she) but he genuinely cared about her.
M. Paul just wants to control Lucy, for 80% of the book he's belittling, criticising, and manipulating her, trying to shape her into the perfect woman for him. She actively tries to avoid him because she's worried at what he's going to say to her. In Lucy's own words he is tyrannical and capricious, quick to anger at the slightest provocation, and so uncaring about the feelings of others he regularly makes little girls (and Lucy) cry! The vain, horrible, little man! I don't care if he's secretly so "kind hearted" and self sacrificing, he's a nasty piece of work.
As for Lucy herself I have no words. What a bland, boring narrator. I get that it's the point, but it makes for a dreadful novel. In fact the less said about her the better because that's clearly what she wants. It must suffice to say this - she is a pious, judgemental, and cold bitch. She is Jane Eyre without her charms (and it probably more lile Charlotte Brontë than both would admit!)
As for the rest of the characters, well I don't have much to say other than some very one dimensional thoughts:
- Dr John and Mrs Bretton are nice people, I actually liked them. But why were they suddenly in Villete at the same time as Lucy?! This makes no sense.
- I am indifferent to Polly and her father, they were fine characters, if a bit annoying at times.
- Everyone at Madame Beck's can go fuck themselves for being arseholes.
Is that everyone? If not, they were unmemorable.
Ultimately, Villette is a tedious treatise on two things 1. How dreadful French schools are; 2. How much better Protestantism is to Catholicism. If I wanted to know about either I would have a. Looked up conditions of French schools, or b. Continued with my academic research. I was counting pages for Villette to end and I'm so glad it has. I won't be returning.
I think it's time to acknowledge that Charlotte Brontë is NOT the Brontë for me. In my heart Emily Brontë and Wuthering Heights will reign supreme in the glory of it's violent passion and captivating characters. Yet, Anne Brontë will also hold a small place, but no less dear, for her realism and quiet feminism. Charlotte, well, she has enough fans to excuse me from her train of admirers.
Small edit to say: this book has FAR TOO MUCH UNNECESSARY FRENCH. I can read French well, so understanding wasn't a huge issue. But switching between two languages, pointlessly, is INFURIATING. And I think is a large reason why I LOATHE this book. I don't like Charlotte Brontë's style at the best of times. However, I have some to despise her predilection for showing off. Why is there so much French in Villete? Because Charlotte Brontë can speak French and wants to show that off. There was no other reason whatsoever to randomly insert sections of dialogue or phrases in French. We know this book is set in France and the characters are largely speaking French. We, as English readers, don't need to be constantly reminded. All it does is create a barrier to entry for people and I fundamentally disagree with it as someone who champions classics as accessible literature.
Original review:
Where do I even start with this? I hated it, so much so I think it's slightly irrational. It's dry, tedious, and slow. I want to say emotionless but that's not really the case - there is passion behind the veneer of propriety and restraint but it's deliberately repressed by Lucy, making for the most intensely unlikeable book I've read since The Moonstone.
Villette is, sort of, a love story. At least that's just about the only plot point we can ascribe to it. We see Lucy Snowe's reckless journey to Villette and make a living for, and then establish an independence (mostly) by, herself. That's it - the love story never really comes into fruition. It's hinted to by Lucy, our narrator, before it's then crushed in it's infancy by Brontë and her cast of truly horrible characters. It's there but never gets a chance to shine. For some, I've seen, this is a strength of the novel, particularly when they disliked the conclusion to Jane Eyre. However, while I've never loved the framing of Jane Eyre's marriage to Mr Rochester, I don't dislike it's existence - it makes sense for both the reader, narrative, and characters! It satisfies. Villette does none of this, thanks to Lucy Snowe's aloof reserve and lack of confidencein the reader. We are left a little confused, knowing Lucy is providing for herself (with a little help from M. Paul and a random bookseller?) and is living a (probably lonely) life in relative comfort of her school. After all of this inane and slow description of her tedious life at Madame Beck's we have nothing. Fantastic. WHAT WAS THE POINT?
Now, this sounds like I don't like books that have little to no plot - I assure you, this is far from the case. Plot can be nonexistent and I can still love a book. But in return for a lack of plot, I need characters! I need real, living characters that consume my soul! Not likeable ones, or even pleasant ones. I need compelling people to fall in love with. My favourite books are ALL character driven! Emma, Wuthering Heights, any book with Fitz and the Fool (too many to list!) They all have characters that, whether you like them or not, feel like they could walk off the page and exist. Even Jane Eyre feels like a real person
Villette has exactly one character who feels real enough: M. Paul. And I loathed him. If anyone thinks Mr Rochester is bad just wait until you meet this selfish, controlling misogynistic twit. WHY IS HE THE LOVE INTEREST? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH CHARLOTTE BRONTË?! For all of his faults, at least Heathcliff actually LIKED Catherine! He's a horrible person (so is she) but he genuinely cared about her.
M. Paul just wants to control Lucy, for 80% of the book he's belittling, criticising, and manipulating her, trying to shape her into the perfect woman for him. She actively tries to avoid him because she's worried at what he's going to say to her. In Lucy's own words he is tyrannical and capricious, quick to anger at the slightest provocation, and so uncaring about the feelings of others he regularly makes little girls (and Lucy) cry! The vain, horrible, little man! I don't care if he's secretly so "kind hearted" and self sacrificing, he's a nasty piece of work.
As for Lucy herself I have no words. What a bland, boring narrator. I get that it's the point, but it makes for a dreadful novel. In fact the less said about her the better because that's clearly what she wants. It must suffice to say this - she is a pious, judgemental, and cold bitch. She is Jane Eyre without her charms (and it probably more lile Charlotte Brontë than both would admit!)
As for the rest of the characters, well I don't have much to say other than some very one dimensional thoughts:
- Dr John and Mrs Bretton are nice people, I actually liked them. But why were they suddenly in Villete at the same time as Lucy?! This makes no sense.
- I am indifferent to Polly and her father, they were fine characters, if a bit annoying at times.
- Everyone at Madame Beck's can go fuck themselves for being arseholes.
Is that everyone? If not, they were unmemorable.
Ultimately, Villette is a tedious treatise on two things 1. How dreadful French schools are; 2. How much better Protestantism is to Catholicism. If I wanted to know about either I would have a. Looked up conditions of French schools, or b. Continued with my academic research. I was counting pages for Villette to end and I'm so glad it has. I won't be returning.
I think it's time to acknowledge that Charlotte Brontë is NOT the Brontë for me. In my heart Emily Brontë and Wuthering Heights will reign supreme in the glory of it's violent passion and captivating characters. Yet, Anne Brontë will also hold a small place, but no less dear, for her realism and quiet feminism. Charlotte, well, she has enough fans to excuse me from her train of admirers.