Bonjour TristesseHarperCollins Publishers, 1955 - 128 pages Set against the translucent beauty of France in summer, "Bonjour Tristesse" is a bittersweet tale narrated by Cé cile, a seventeen-year-old girl on the brink of womanhood, whose meddling in her father's love life leads to tragic consequences.Freed from boarding school, Cé cile lives in unchecked enjoyment with her youngish, widowed father -- an affectionate rogue, dissolute and promiscuous. Having accepted the constantly changing women in his life, Cé cile pursues a sexual conquest of her own with a "tall and almost beautiful" law student. Then, a new woman appears in her father's life. Feeling threatened but empowered, Cé cile sets in motion a devastating plan that claims a surprising victim.Deceptively simple in structure, "Bonjour Tristesse" is a complex and beautifully composed portrait of casual amorality and a young woman's desperate attempt to understand and control the world around her. |
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afternoon angry Anne's face Anne's voice arms beach beautiful began to laugh Bergson boat Bonjour tristesse Cannes casino Cécile Charles Webb charm cigarette closed Cyril and Elsa dancing dead silence dinner door dress drink drunk egoism Elsa and Cyril Elsa Mackenbourg Elsa's everything father and Anne feeling felt frivolous gave girl hair hand happy head heat hurt idea imagine kind kissed knew libertine lips living look love affairs mackerel marriage marry mind morning mother neck never night night of love noticed o'clock Paris perhaps pleasure poor Raymond realized remember Saint Raphael sand seemed shoulder shut my eyes silence sleep slowly smile soon spoke stopped stupid sudden suddenly sunburn surprised talk tell terrace thing thought of Elsa told took villa walked wanted whisky woman wondered words Yoga young