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Villette

Penguin Classics

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Villette

By: Charlotte Brontë
Narrated by: Charlotte Ritchie
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

This Penguin Classic is performed by Charlotte Ritchie, best known for her roles as Oregon in Channel 4's Fresh Meat, Hannah in the BBC Three comedy Siblings, and as Barbara Gilbert in BBC drama Call the Midwife.

With neither friends nor family, Lucy Snowe sets sail from England to find employment in a girls' boarding school in the small town of Villette.

There she struggles to retain her self-possession in the face of unruly pupils, an initially suspicious headmaster and her own complex feelings, first for the school's English doctor and then for the dictatorial professor Paul Emmanuel. Drawing on her own deeply unhappy experiences as a governess in Brussels, Charlotte Brontë's last and most autobiographical novel is a powerfully moving study of isolation and the pain of unrequited love, narrated by a heroine determined to preserve an independent spirit in the face of adverse circumstances.

"Listening to Call the Midwife actress Charlotte Richie read Charlotte Brontë's lesser-known novel Villette was a hugely enjoyable experience on my morning commute on trains so packed that I could not stretch out my arms to open a book." - i News

(P) 2019 Penguin Audio

 Classics Genre Fiction Gothic Horror Psychological Women's Fiction
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Charlotte Bronte truly encapsulates the young female experience of a pioneering independent woman in this novel. Though Lucy Snowe (the protagonist) isn't altogether trustworthy, as you'll find she conceals certain elements throughout the book, I think in some way everyone can relate to or learn something from her character. Charlotte Ritchie has a beautiful clear voice, and suits Lucy Snowe well. If you desire a long, and though slow, suspenseful adventure, I recommend Villette, especially in these colder months. (it's quite cozy) My only complaint is that the narrative gets quite tedious at times, and has some unnecessary chapters, but it does add to the ambience!

Great as a student resource and for leisure!

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This narration was beautiful, Charlotte didn't do the awful childlike voices I've heard other narrators mimic.

Simply beautiful

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Great narration but I dont know that I'd listen again - depressing and a bit odd. Charlotte did not convince me of her heros good points and her heroine is a prickly character. Dont invest too much in the story and you be fine!

Great performance, story not so much!

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I loved this book. It’s very long for present day, lots of infill which you may well spot. But the narrator is a very odd person, and finds power in psychological “games” as does her final love.
I wish someone had gone though the book with the woman who read it. Her French accent was good, her delivery was good. But the pronunciation of many English words was wrong. It shouldn’t matter - but it did. One example: Prophecy and Prophesy are not pronounced the same and are confusing to the listener when muddled up. There were many such and they prevented good flow. However, as I said, I loved it.

It’s a clever empathic look at trauma

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Charlotte was by far the worst writer of the three Bronte sisters. This was painful from begging to end. Do yourself a favour & just don't bother

I will die on this hill

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