Villette

De: Charlotte Brontë

Narrado por: Mandy Weston

Long overshadowed by Jane Eyre, Villette is widely admired as one of Charlotte Bronte's finest works. This story of a young teacher at a girl's school in the city of Villette is a particular challenge for the young reader, for it requires maturity of vision, a fine narrative sense - and a command of French! Mandy Weston, a newcomer to Naxos AudioBooks, tells the story magnificently.©2007 Naxos Rights International (P)2007 Naxos Rights International

Good, with reservations.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I liked this book, but I don't think I would have gotten it if offered again.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Villette?

The book itself was great, but the ending left me wanting more resolution.

Which character – as performed by Mandy Weston – was your favorite?

Lucy was the best.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Yes, maybe a movie would give me a more definate ending.

Great to read a little known classic

Any additional comments?

I never knew that Charlotte Bronte had any other novels than Jane Eyre. They are similar in that the main characters have to go through a lot of self-discovery and finding their independence in order to find love. They are different in that Villette tells more of the story of the supporting characters around Lucy Snow. Be prepared of the sections in French, which there are many.

Beautiful reading of an inspiring story

Villette was a gentle story, more like riding along with a woman as an intimate friend in her journey. To outward appearances, not a whole lot happened but inwardly and amidst minor daily adventures, she is evolving into her own person, and testing her coping with loneliness and disappointments and in the process manifesting her values and formidable strengths in the world. Villette fulfilled the reason why I love this genre so much, the sweetness and excellence of language, the emphasis on properties of the spirit and character. As a heroine, Lucy's heroics were all about facing her demons and rising to the occasion despite difficulties---it was a tale of every day courage. All that said, I may have drifted away or made it through only slowly, if it were not for the stunning, poetic, and perfectly nuanced ready by Mandy Weston. She made all the characters come into bloom with her sensitivity and sense of pitch, intonation, flavor and accents. I loved listening to her brogue as well as the French, even when I did not understand (the latter--the book has footnotes to explain it)---her voice reading is like listening to beautiful music and added so many layers of enjoyment on top of what was already a very sweet book

classical heart

Mandy Weston reads the story of wry, tender little Lucy Snow with great heart and subtle understanding. I enjoyed every minute.

Little known masterpiece!

Having loved Jane Eyre – – in fact, having read it and reread it over four times in my life so far – –, I purchased this read with much curiosity and not believing that Charlotte Brontë could have produced more than one real jam. However, I was very much wrong in this assumption. If anything, Brontë’s novel, Villette, is even more haunting and more sinister in its characterization and storyline (be it, however, more covertly applied herein than in Jane Eyre. A mesmerizing and marvelously convincing performance sharpens and enlivens the bitter poignancy and timeless nature of this epic master work!