Gigi, by Colette

Gigi, Julie de Carneilhan, and Chance Acquaintances: Three Short Novels
Colette

I defy anyone to read Gigi without falling immediately head-over-heels in love with both Gigi and her creator.

Gigi is a young girl being trained in the arts of the courtesan in turn-of-the-century Paris. Under the careful eye of her aunt, Gigi is learning how to dress, eat, fake weaknesses, and even choose cigars--all to please the rich men that will come into her life. Gigi, however, wants a life greater than this. While her own idealism seems immature to her family, it is this very quality which is Gigi's ultimate victory.

The story is not only perfectly delightful but also quite hysterical. I laughed out loud as Gigi, wishing to avoid a vague euphemism for her genitalia, asks to know its proper name. Her grandmother, however, sternly admonishes her: There is no other name. Each scene is embued with a subtle humor which entertains the reader at every turn.

This collection contains not only Gigi but also Julie de Carneilhan and Chance Acquaintances. Both of the latter pieces are short and delightful, and after reading them, I now want to read everything Colette ever wrote. There is, however, only one Gigi.

In a nutshell: If you haven't been introduced to Collete (described as "one of the glories of France" by Michael Straight), this is the perfect collection to begin with. J'adore Gigi!

Bibliolatry Scale: 6 out of 6 stars (for Gigi)