Chéri & The End of Chéri
BACK OF THE BOOK
Colette’s Chéri (1920) and its sequel, The End of Chéri (1926), are widely considered her masterpieces. In sensuous, elegant prose, the two novels explore the evolving inner lives and the intimate relationship of an unlikely couple: Léa de Lonval, a middle-aged former courtesan, and Fred Peloux, twenty-five years her junior, known as Chéri. The two have been involved for years, and it is time for Chéri to get on with life, to make something of himself, but he, the personification of male beauty and vanity, doesn’t know how to go about it. It is time, too, for Léa to let go of Chéri and the sensual life that has been hers, and yet this is more easily resolved than done. Chéri marries, but once married he is restless and is inevitably drawn back to his mistress, as she is to him. And yet to reprise their relationship is only to realize even more the inevitability of its end. That end will come when Chéri, back from World War I, encounters a world that the war has changed through and through. Lost in his memories of time past, he is irremediably lost to the busy present. Paul Eprile’s new translation of these two celebrated novels brings out a vivid sensuality and acute intelligence that past translations have failed to capture.
Why You Should Read It
Colette’s eventful life frequently overshadows the conversations regarding the quality of her work—which is responsive to and representative of the grand adventures of a life well lived rather than simply further accoutrement supporting the daringness of an interesting personality. Colette’s writing put her in league with Proust in her time, a fact modern translations of her work have failed to acknowledge. In the infamous Cheri, we follow a love affair between an older courtesan and a vain and beautiful man, 25 years her junior. As controversial as the content of Colette’s stories might have been, it is the writing that has secured her a place amongst the stars—sparse, yet descriptive, economical whilst somehow still being luscious and indulgent. Colette finds pleasure in describing beauty not through metaphors and tangents, but through a linguistic precision that is extremely impressive, even pared back.
Memorable Passage
These leisurely conversations always revealed their worship of the same twin deities - love and money, and would drift away from money and love to come back to Chéri and his deplorable upbringing, to his exceptional good looks (“harmless, after all,” as Léa would say) and to his character (“virtually non-existent,” as Léa would say). They had a taste for sharing confidences, and a dislike of new words or ideas, which they satisfied in these long talks.
About the Author
Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (1873–1954), known simply as Colette, was a pioneering French author and one of the most celebrated literary figures of the early 20th century. Renowned for her intimate and sensual prose, Colette's exploration of femininity, sexuality, and societal expectations was groundbreaking for its time. Her most famous work, the novel Gigi, was later adapted into a successful stage play and film. Colette's versatility extended beyond novels to essays, plays, and journalism, showcasing her sharp wit and keen observation of human behavior. A trailblazer in challenging societal norms, Colette's writing often featured strong female characters navigating a changing world. Her literary legacy endures for her ability to capture the nuances of life with elegance and authenticity, making her a figure worth knowing for her profound influence on French literature and her role in shaping discussions around gender and identity.
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