mybookjournal

4.5

Reading Villette was a challenge in itself; it gave a lot of extra work to my brain and my laptop which was unnerving at times specially when dealing with those French wordings and sentences. But the journey with Lucy snow the protagonist was intriguing though melancholic at times. This book was in the form of Lucy’s journal to her readers telling a story from her point of view, the keen observer that she was!

What can I say about dear Lucy, never have I written any review on a classic character and I don’t know whether I am even capable of doing so, but somehow I cannot stop myself from writing something about Lucy Snowe! I found Lucy very brave and strong but very emotional too though she hid it very well from us readers. I have no idea why I chose to read Villette than Jane Eyre though that book was in my to-read shelf from really long time. But I just know this that somehow no other classic heroin can ever match Lucy. The way she handles happiness and sorrows in her life with indifference, I have no idea who else can do it! Her words never grieved never once she showed her depression or desperation. Her withstanding capacity towards life’s harshness was unmatchable!

A struggler from the very beginning, not expecting anything extraordinary from life Lucy grows up serving people and somehow lands up in Villette and her life takes a U turn. She becomes a teacher and also happens to meet Dr. John Graham Bretton a charming young man, handsome, humble and friendly but somehow he never is concerned about her apart from being just friendly. With in time she realizes this and steps back. Meanwhile Lucy meets the eccentric, passionate, arrogant, and possessive (though not handsome) M. Paul Carl David Emanuel who happens to be a professor. While they are quite opposite to each other and hate each other at times, somehow they get connected. The portion which involves M. Paul and Lucy interaction is simply excellent which I enjoyed immensely and ended up reading it persistently! The understanding and the unconditional love that grows between these two matured people unknowingly is inexplicable and magnificent!

In the end M Paul and Lucy could not make it together, there was no happy-ever-after ending :(! But rather than losing her hope and making the readers sad, she assures herself and the readers that the gift and the memories’of M. Paul was enough to lead rest of her life to the fullest, isn't that what a reader expects from their favorite characters, if not a happy ending!!! At the end I just want to say Miss Charlotte Brontë you are just awesome!!! And Jane Eyre here I come!!