Cheri

A vivid, believable love story between an older woman and a younger man.

Léa de Lonval is a magnificent and aging courtesan facing the end of her career. She has devoted the last six years to the amorous education of the exquisitely handsome and spoilt Chéri – a playboy half her age. When an advantageous marriage is arranged for Chéri, Léa reluctantly decides their relationship must end. But neither lover can foresee how deeply they are connected, or how much they will have to give up.

First published in 1920, it was instantly greeted by Marcel Proust and André Gide as a masterpiece.

‘I devoured Chéri at a gulp. What a wonderful subject and with what intelligence, mastery and understanding of the least-admitted secrets of the flesh’ André Gide

• ISBN10: 009942276X
• ISBN13: 9780099422761
• Publish Date: 6 September 2001
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Vintage Publishing
• Imprint: Vintage Classics
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 128
• Language: English

Reviews

[Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews]

Cheri by Colette, centers around Lea and Cheri and their six year love affair. Respectfully 49 and 25 at the novels opening, both believe that their relationship to be casual until Cheri is to be married and realize that they were in fact in love. After Cheri's marriage they are separated for six months due to Lea's inability to cope with the new revelations. When she at last returns Cheri visits, they have one last romp in the sheets and the next morning while Lea plans their future together, Cheri decides to go back to his wife, saving his marriage.

This book is all about coping mechanisms. Cheri becomes distant from his wife claiming everything his wife says and does is wrong because it is not Lea. Lea just picks up and goes away on vacation but even the change of scenery still leaves her feeling morose. This book was heartbreaking. It is obvious, by Colette's words how greatly they care for each other; but due to society's prejudice to people like her and the disturbing (at the time) age gap, thus any furthering of the relationship would seem impossible.

In the opening scene in the bedroom, has Cheri playing with a strand of pearls with Lea teasing him, setting a playful happy setting. The conclusion, while still in her boudoir has a heavy air to it as the lovers comfort each other before they last depart. Despite being a mere 140 pages long Colette invokes such strong emotions by going down memory lane, showing their time of happiness only to plummet to their current despair, I had emotional whip-lash. Cheri is a beautifully written story of two peoples who's eyes are shaped like soles.