Villette

Rating:
Summary: Darker and more realistic than Jane Eyre
Review: Everybody knows and loves Jane Eyre, but hardly anybody has ever heard of Charlotte Brontë's later novel Villette. Is this because Villette simply does not have the literary quality of Jane Eyre? Most certainly not. Could it be because Villette is not as romantic? Now there you have a point. Villette is darker, more realistic. It is also much more personal and autobiographic than Jane Eyre and ultimately a more powerful novel. Charlotte Brontë drew on her own experiences as a teacher at a private boarding school for girls in Brussels. There she fell passionately in love with one of her fellow teachers - a married man, so the whole affair was doomed from the beginning.

In Villette Charlotte Brontë created an alter ego, Lucy Snowe, who teaches at a similar school. She looks mousy (always wears grey for instance) but hides an inner life of violent emotions and passions, for which the very restricted school environment offers no proper outlet. There is one person, however - a male fellow teacher - who seems to recognize Lucy for what she really is. Now, will this be the beginning finally of happiness or of something else?

Villette is a very convincing and moving novel about the inner landscape of a Victorian woman whose life it seems was destined to be spent in constantly repressing her feelings and struggling against isolation. Deserves a wide audience.

Rating:
Summary: Villette, Charlotte Bronte's underrated masterpiece
Review: Having read this book 7 times over the past 15 years, I find that the story and characters just get better and better! As much as I idolize _Jane Eyre,_ this story of the oft depressed and melancholy Lucy Snowe sparks the imagination. Lucy is a Jane Eyre without the chutzpah, and with loads less self-esteem; but shares Jane's strict code of conduct, and forces you to value her. In a way, I believe Lucy finds an even worthier match than Jane did--in M. Paul Emmanuel, passionate professor of literature. In a way, the scenes between him and Lucy excite my imagination all the more, because they're understated, AND because I already know how the story ends. The pain lends the love story incredible passion--the tame, orderly, parallel love story of Graham and Paulina just places that of Paul and Lucy in greater relief. The two greatest actions in the book--a slap and a kiss--are so climactic and satisfying, that when I get to that section of the novel, I won't put it down until the end. I am still reeling! Was it better to have loved and lost? _Villette_ answers that question with a resounding affirmative.

Rating:
Summary: I hate to give a bad review but...
Review: I am big fan of the Bronte sisters and Jane Austen. And I hate to give anything by any of them a bad review. (I've debated between giving it 2 or 3 stars.) But I do not care for Villette at all! I got to page 282 and basically decided to stop reading it...I did skim some parts to the end to get an idea of the ending of the book.

This book was like one long plateau. I kept wondering when "something" would happen. There were a few mild climaxes, but nothing significant. I felt like "ho-hum...will this story ever get going?" And then the ending was so disapointing also.

I thought all the coincidences (people from the past suddenly running into each other) was just too unrealistic. I know this is fiction, but it just seemed too contrived...

I realize this book is semi-autobiographical, and Charlotte had just lost her entire family to consumption. So it is understandable this novel is so flat...it reflects her dark mood. But...it still doesn't make for a great book. There is so much ordinary detail and feelings expressed in the book that it almost made me feel like I was reading a journal or diary. And this "journal" should have been better edited to create a more exciting novel! There are some good ideas, and I think this novel could have been so much better...

If you do get this book, make sure you get a copy with the French translations in the back. Or you will get lost by some of the dialogue. Unless you speak French, of course.

Maybe I am just lacking in deep literary analysis - as so many consider this book to have such depth...Maybe I read it with the wrong expectations. Yes, I probably did...but I just didn't care for this book.

Rating:
Summary: Didn't enjoy it as much as her other books
Review: I feel a bit bad giving this book only three stars after everyone else has given it higher. I liked this book, let me say that, and I recommend you read it, but... I feel a bit intimidated here, but I'll try not to be, and just give my opinions as they are. To begin with there are simply far too many coincidences. Every author includes a few, but there are too many here. As well as this, i found the book was better in it's parts than as a whole. I often read books again and again, but with Villette, i only read certain parts. I also didn't like the religious superiority Bronte seems to have felt. All the Catholics are portrayed as mean and narrow-minded. Of course some of the people she likes are Catholics, but she always tries to forget that fact when possible. If anyone is interested in reading one Charlotte Bronte Book, I recommend Shirley, which I enjoyed much more. Or if you can't find that, then read Jane Eyre. But if Villette is at your hands, you may aswell read that too.

Rating:
Summary: Greatest book of the Bronte clan.
Review: I have read many of the books written by the three Bronte sisters, and so far I think this is the best. The characters are so complex and interesting, the story is so involving, and the scenery so real that I was easily swept up in the novel. My only objection is that I missed some of the conversations becuase I was getting tired of looking up the french words in the index, but that is just as much my fault as Charlotte's for using them. All in all very good. If only there was a movie, becuase it would then reach even more people.

Rating:
Summary: Touching
Review: I love this book. At times I felt so sad for Lucy that I cried. Having finished reading all of Jane Austen's books right before reading this one, I kept waiting for the part where Lucy would start to look "pretty", where she would "get her bloom". Well, not so, which is part of the reason that I love it. It is very realistic. Here is a plain girl who does not get the guy, but perhaps something better in the end, someone that loves her for who she truly is and not what she looks like.

I think the thing about this book that really moved me was that I think we all have a little bit of Lucy in us, that vulnerable, lonely, self-doubting girl, who despite all of this puts on a brave face for the world, not letting people know how she may be falling apart inside. We can all relate to her, we've all been there at some point. It is also inspirational, Lucy withstood a great deal, and was very brave despite her self doubt.

Rating:
Summary: I'll muddle through the middle to get to the end!!!
Review: I read this book directly after reading "Jane Eyre" because I was so compelled to read more of the brillent Charlotte Bronte's work.

In the beginning I had high hopes of the book written by my favorite author. In the middle I was asking myself why I was reading this. Now I've finished (just yesterday), and I've been inspired to read another one of her books.

Although I did feel like I suffered a bit through some of the verbose chapters, the story as a whole is the "equal and likeness" of "Jane Eyre," and I will value it as one of my favorite books of all time. "Jane Eyre" will remain supreme though.

Now I'm onto "The Professor," and after that will come "Shirly." Sad will the day be when I run out of all the Bronte's works!

Rating:
Summary: Bronte's best
Review: I read Villette a few years ago and absolutely loved it. I had read Jane Eyre in high-school, when I was too young to appreciate it. I rate Villette as one of my favorite books. Bronte's depiction of Paul Emanuel as a Christ figure is unsurpassed. I was truly affected by the kindness of his character in the end that it brought me to tears. Very powerful writing.

Rating:
Summary: Happy endings aren't always the right ones
Review: I was at first confused then depressed ,and even dissapointed at the ending. I inferred the worst since it was left untold not to ' trouble any happy hearts'. But it seemed the way it should be ,unlike ' Jane Eyre '( it was a great book ,but the happy ending I thought was a little exaggerated ).Charlotte Bronte was a brilliant , creative writer, and her extremes are what I admire her most for. Then the painfully realistic ending in this tragedy shows her maturity as an author. Depressing or not , ' Villette' is a remarkable novel that I wish not to be changed.

Rating:
Summary: Villette's first Amazon review?
Review: I was surprised to be the first to comment on this deeply felt work by Charlotte Bronte. Although Jane Eyre will always be my sentimental favorite, I agree with the many critics who see Villette as Charlotte Bronte's best work. Villette's heroine is the lonely and unlovely Lucy Snowe who struggles to free herself from sorrowful past memories of which the details the reader is kept uninformed, and to quell her natural desires for a richer life- full of love, friendship, stimulation, and enjoyment- which she believes is hopelessly out of her reach. Anyone who has ever struggled with loneliness will sympathize with Lucy, whose aloneness Bronte conveys with heartbreaking pathos.
This novel may be a hard read for some who are accustomed to lighter fare. It is certainly not a book that can be read in a day but one that must be slowly enjoyed over a period of time, preferably with a cup of tea.....