Villette

By: Charlotte Brontë

Narrated by: Davina Porter

Length: 22 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Hailed as Charlotte Brontë’s “finest novel” by Virginia Woolf, Villette is the timeless semi-autobiographical tale of Lucy Snowe. Left with no family and no money, Lucy goes against her own timid nature and travels to the small city of Villette, France, where she becomes a school teacher in Madame Beck’s school for girls. During her stay, she falls in love—twice—and discovers an independent, inner strength rarely seen in women of her time.

Public Domain (P)2006 Recorded Books, LLC

i was disappointed

maybe im being snobbish but the awful mispronunciation of every french word was a shame

OK for the diehard Victorian novel enthusiast

This certainly was no Jane Austen novel. It's rather uneventful, and dreary but if you love language as I do, you may like just the sound of it and Divina Porter is the best

Character brought to life brilliantly

The reader, Davina Porter, made Lucie Snow more real than any simple reading could do. I am now, more curious about Charlette Bronte and the era in which she lived. I wish this resource had been available when I was in school. I couldn't stop listening.
Bronte's writing is musical and poetic, and Davina's delivery elevates perfect literature.

Long documentary of this person's boring life.

This story was about Villette so it did not let me down on that. The problem was that her life wasn't all that exciting. The narrator did a fine job. However, not the narrators fault, there were so many parts spoken in French of which I would have like to know what they were all about. Being that the book is published in English, the writer should not have assumed that everyone reads or understands French. Even if written as so, the director of the audiobook might have added the little curtesy of translation. I wasn't altogether disappointed with the book, which I knew was an old classic and would be written in that time frame's style.I had never read Charlotte Bronte or other classics such as Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, and thought I probably missed something. I'm glad I read it but wouldn't read it again as I do my favorites.

A lot of French

Unless you understand French, I would NOT buy this Audiobook. A great deal is spoken in French and the story becomes segmented and the meaning is lost if French is NOT understood. At least with the Kindle version you have the opportunity to highlight the French and translate to English.
It would be nice to have an ALL ENGLISH VERSION from Audible, with the French translated to English.

Beautiful Narration, a bit long

At the 18 hour mark, I was wishing it would wrap up. I realize this is the age it was written.

Slow as a turtle zzzzzzzz

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

This is perhaps the slowest book I have ever listened to. Very boring. The minute descriptions of every tiny article of clothing or possession, or facial expression will drive you crazy.

What could Charlotte Brontë have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

I know this is from another era but other authors of her time were not so tedious

How could the performance have been better?

No helping the boring writing

Do you think Villette needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

no

Any additional comments?

surprised at how lousy the writing was

Phenomenal

a work of shattering beauty. broke my heart. it has always been my favorite book but the audio version made it feel like the first time all over again. Superb narration.

Antique novel

The historical culture that permeated the book was my favorite aspect of the story. I was frustrated at times, when the dialogue was in French, the reader had no way of knowing what had been said.

Wow said the male listener

I've read about six classics by women authors this year, all books that I'd managed to avoid during my formal education years. Villette is definitely my favorite. A woman without means ventures much on a trip to a destination unknown to her, without letters of introduction or even enough coin to support herself upon arrival, and makes a go of it. At least, as "a go of it" would be defined 170 years ago in England.

My only piece of advice: Probably better read, with a good French-English dictionary at your side, unless your command of spoken French is passingly adequate.