Villette was published in 1853, and is set in the city which gives the book its name, in the country of Labassecour (fictional versions of Brussels and Belgium). Based on the travels and work in the region of Emily and Charlotte Bronte, the novel follows Lucy Snowe's adventures in travel, work and love, in a plot which is enlivened by narrative twists and during which the mysterious figure of a nun appears three times. These manifestations, along with other elements in the plot, lend the novel a 'gothic' air which has ...
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Villette was published in 1853, and is set in the city which gives the book its name, in the country of Labassecour (fictional versions of Brussels and Belgium). Based on the travels and work in the region of Emily and Charlotte Bronte, the novel follows Lucy Snowe's adventures in travel, work and love, in a plot which is enlivened by narrative twists and during which the mysterious figure of a nun appears three times. These manifestations, along with other elements in the plot, lend the novel a 'gothic' air which has contributed to its enduring popularity.
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Lucy Snowe isn't exactly a "lovable heroine" but a fascinating one... There's something about this book that keeps bringing me back to it. It could be that Lucy and Paul Emmanuel are two such idiosyncratic characters that it's hard to appreciate them at first glance. Hard sometimes even to like them. But that makes for a rewarding read, as we trace their relationship and the development of their back-stories. In the end Lucy is a strong, finely drawn character - somewhat prickly and strait-laced with fears and passions that sometimes peep through. She resists becoming an object of pity for the reader...even at the end, one has a feeling that Lucy will keep a stiff upper lip, so to speak, and survive.
