Gigi by Colette
Translated by Roger Senhouse
Well, what a week it’s been so far! We’re getting to the end and today I wanted to post about one of my favourite authors, a writer I was so pleased I could re-read for the #1944Club! I’ve written fairly extensively on the Ramblings about Colette (and she’s probably trending, as they say, at the moment owing to there being a biopic in the offing); so the fact that one of her most famous works was published in 1944 was a real bonus.
“Gigi” is one of the titles that springs to the lips of those in the know when Colette’s name is mentioned; possibly because of the film starring Leslie Caron; and yet when I picked it up for a re-read I was astonished at how short it actually is. At around 50 pages in my pretty old Penguin, it would struggle to be classed as a novella, and I would almost expect to find it in my volume of her collected short stories. In fact, my Penguin has “Gigi” paired with “The Cat”, a longer work; yet reputation of the title story is large, and for a very good reason.
Gilberte, known affectionately as Gigi, is 15 going on grown-up; on the cusp of womanhood, still naive and closely protected by her mother, her Grandmother and her aunt Alicia, she is being discreetly lined up for life as a courtesan. The family is slightly on the outside of things; although they have higher class associates, they struggle financially, with Gigi’s mother singing at night to earn money. A legacy of one of Grandmother’s past liaisons is a current friendship with Gaston Lachaille, a rich man who nevertheless seems to enjoy calling on the little family of women where he can relax. Gigi calls him Uncle Tonton, and is happy to be spoiled with little treats. However, Tonton has broken up with his society girlfriend, at a point where Gigi is reaching an age to be of interest as more than a family friend. The older women seem to be considering some kind of modern version of Grandmother’s friendship with the Lachaille family; however, Gigi has ideas of her own…
As always, Colette’s writing is a pure delight. Despite its short length, “Gigi” brims with atmosphere, characters, settings and stories. Gigi herself is headstrong and engaging; Tonton a convincing besotted man . Leaving aside any morals here (when did we ever look to a Colette book for morals???), the story is beautifully told and it’s a joy seeing Gigi get her own way despite the attempts of the older women to control her.
OK, OK, the morals. Tonton is 33, Gigi is 15; that age gap and her youth are problematic, although it has to be borne in mind that the story is set some considerable time in the past (which is no excuse really). However, I can’t help being reminded of how Colette married a man older than her, the libertine Willy (she was a naive looking 20, he was 34); and I wondered how much this coloured her narrative. Nevertheless, “Gigi” is beautifully written, evocative of time and place, and a fascinating look at the lives of certain women too easily dismissed. This was a time when being wife or mistress seemed the only options, unless you had money, and Gigi is intelligent enough to know which was the better choice.
“Gigi” was made into a successful stage show, and then a film; the former launched the career of Audrey Hepburn, when Colette reputedly pointed her out as the perfect actress to play her heroine. The film became a classic (though staring Caron not Hepburn) and Colette continued writing until her death. I wouldn’t say “Gigi” is necessarily the best place to start with her work; but nothing she writes is ever dull, and I’m happy to have become reacquainted with “Gigi” again for the 1944 Club!
JacquiWine
Oct 20, 2018 @ 08:09:08
Well, as you know, I enjoyed the Colette biopic when I saw it at the LFF last week – clearly a labour of love for the director Wash Westmoreland (what a name!) as he gave a very heartfelt intro to the film before the screening. Anyway, first the movie and now your lovely review of Gigi for the 1944 Club. It’s clearly time for us to reinvestigate the work of this delightful writer.
kaggsysbookishramblings
Oct 20, 2018 @ 17:07:55
Go for it, Jacqui! She was such a marvellous writer – I just love her books, and one of my eventual retirement projects is to re-read her works from start to finish!
Somali Bookaholic
Oct 20, 2018 @ 10:37:27
This was great review Karen although in modern times Morals this novella would be quite problematic but thanks for introducing me to another writer
kaggsysbookishramblings
Oct 20, 2018 @ 17:07:08
Thanks! There are issues from our modern viewpoint, but I think we have to allow for the time the book was written and the differing standards. Colette was certainly a wonderful author.
Cathy746books
Oct 20, 2018 @ 13:20:53
You have SOLD me Karen! Really want to read this now.
kaggsysbookishramblings
Oct 20, 2018 @ 17:06:18
Colette’s wonderful! Read anything by her! 😀
Dark Puss
Oct 27, 2018 @ 15:57:46
Read EVERYTHING by her 🙂
kaggsysbookishramblings
Oct 27, 2018 @ 16:32:43
Yup – absolutely EVERTHING!
heavenali
Oct 20, 2018 @ 14:52:47
Well done you have had a wonderful 1944 club week. I haven’t read Gigi, in fact I have only read one book by Colette. This definitely one for the future. When it comes to the ‘morals’ or things which we accept, things have changed considerably in the decades since that novella was written. It is difficult isn’t it not to let our feelings get in the way. I wonder if any readers of the time were uncomfortable with that relationship? – surely many would have been.
kaggsysbookishramblings
Oct 20, 2018 @ 17:06:03
I’ve really had some good reading experiences this week, Ali! Colette is so good, definitely worth you exploring. As for the morals thing, it’s hard because of the differing norms in the Paris she was writing about. I try not to be judgemental about this because it *is* such a long time ago, and we can’t rewrite or whitewash the past. But nowadays that kind of gap would definitely be an issue!
madamebibilophile
Oct 22, 2018 @ 13:47:19
Colette is such a wonderful writer and so concise – 50 pages for something so influential! I would say that’s a short story, not a novella, but I have been thinking if I do ‘Novella a Day…’ again, I might finish on a Colette week 🙂
kaggsysbookishramblings
Oct 22, 2018 @ 14:25:52
She is. And a Colette week is my idea of heaven!
buriedinprint
Oct 22, 2018 @ 17:46:33
I just spotted the poster for this film when I was riding the streetcar down Spadina yesterday and am so pleased that I’ll be able to see the film soon. She is more of a favourite of yours, I can tell, but I do understand your enthusiasm and, quite likely if I just read more, I would share it more completely. Regardless, I always enjoy reading your thoughts on her work.
kaggsysbookishramblings
Oct 22, 2018 @ 17:57:25
Thanks! I do indeed adore Colette’s writing – and I love to have the excuse for a re-read!
#1944Club: round up – Stuck in a Book
Oct 26, 2018 @ 11:39:00
literarygitane
Oct 26, 2018 @ 16:08:36
Lovely post and oh, so nostalgic! I’m reminded of college days when Colette featured prominently on reading lists. She is one of my favorite writers and I’m looking forward to seeing the film based on her life this weekend.
kaggsysbookishramblings
Oct 26, 2018 @ 17:01:49
Thanks! I can recall the impact Colette had on me when I first read her – she was very much considered an essential author for feminist reading, but I can’t really get a handle on how her work is viewed nowadays, and whether people are more interested in her life. Whatever – I adore her books! 😁
Dark Puss
Oct 27, 2018 @ 16:02:32
It is one of her works I didn’t enjoy much when I read it about 40 year’s ago so perhaps I should revisit it. Cheri and Last of Cheri I also didn’t love back then but on re-reading as a much older person a few years ago I saw them in a very different (and much more positive light). I did not like the 1958 film at all!
kaggsysbookishramblings
Oct 27, 2018 @ 16:32:27
I’ve never seen the film – and frankly I don’t intend to…. (*shudder*). However, think that your response to Colette probably varies according to age (and also how many reading years you’ve got under your belt). I *do* want to visit Cheri but I’m vaguely nervous how I’ll react to it, being an older woman myself now….
2018 – so what were my standout reading experiences? :) | Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings
Dec 31, 2018 @ 07:06:29