Cheri by Collette

Cheri, the eponymous 'hero' of the novel, is a weak spoilt individual with too much money and time.  Lia the beautiful but aging courtesan who loves him realizes that this love cannot last but gives her heart none the less.  The characters are well drawn, the harpy friends of Cheri's mother are particularly well crafted. Bitches who's cutting chatter is filled with well aimed barbs and quips aimed to hurt.  

The book generated a good discussion about the Belle Mode of Paris at the turn of the century, and about Collette herself, how her life of a courtesan earned her independence but not a family and the differences between England and UK about women who earned a life at the top of the sex working tree. The very french way of looking at love, sex and relationships. 

If you want to listen to the novel the BBC have serialized it click here to listen

Marks out of 10:  between 6 - 9

Words used to describe it:  spoil, indulgent, bittersweet, vivid impression, harsh

Next book

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

Next meeting 

19th May 2021 at Chelsea Arts Club (COVID rules allowing)

An Experiment in Love by Hilary Mantel

Carmel MacBain, looks back on her school and university years (1970's) with a bleakly comic eye. The friendships - are they friendships or are they rivals/bullies that you keep close.  The book flicks between Carmel s childhood years in a Lancashire town and her University time studying law in London.  Not a polemic, the novel does discuss feminism and class.  Women's relationship with food and friendships. Are they friends or just convenient acquaintances?  A bleak book, but well drawn characters with all their flaws are skillfully drawn.  You may not like the protagonists but they we all know their like.

The book generated an interesting discussion on female friendship and competitive rivalry, class and what it was to be young at that time, and our (women's) relationship with food. 

Marks out of 10:  between 7 - 8

Words used to describe it:  class envy, caustic, cold, stark, dreary, riveting, hungry 

Next book 

Cheri by Collette

Next meeting via Zoom

  Thursday 15th April