REVIEW: Villette (Charlotte Brontë)

Book: Villette

Author: Charlotte Brontë

My rating: 4.5/5.

Premise: When Lucy Snowe leaves England to look for a new life on the Continent, she has no idea what lies in store for her. This quiet, lonely girl must learn quickly when she finds herself teaching in a foreign school, with no friends and family to rely on. But soon figures from her past appear, inspiring new and passionate feelings in her.

What an amazing book. Its split into 3 'volumes' and I must admit, I wasn't sold on the first volume. I found the plot was murky and slow and there was some French dialogue I had to skip over.

Yet at some point, I went from dragging along to eagerly turning the pages! I felt attached to Lucy and just wanted some happiness for her. But oh my, the heart break! There's unrequited love, trying to fit in, abandonment issues - all of which are actually relatable! Lucy also has some modern, sometimes cynical, views, making her fiesty.

Overall, this story is be a hard read and will likely break your heart. But it's still strangely enjoyable. In fact, I'm tempted to break it down and analyse it!