The Complete Claudine: Claudine at School; Claudine in Paris; Claudine Married; Claudine and Annie

by Colette

The Complete Claudine: Claudine at School; Claudine in Paris; Claudine Married; Claudine and Annie

book data

208 ratings, 4.22 average rating, 26 reviews (more data...)

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published

September 5th 2001 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

binding

Paperback, 640 pages

isbn

0374528039 (isbn13: 9780374528034)

description

Colette, prodded by her first husband, Willy, began her writing career with Claudine at School, which catapulted the young author into instant, sensat...more

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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 291)

All ratings | 5 stars (85) | 4 stars (88) | 3 stars (31) | 2 stars (4) | avg 4.22

all | this edition

Wayne

Wayne rated it:

11/04/08

bookshelves: french-classics

One reviewer described the Claudine books as "feathery pornography". Today when Noddy has been banned from libraries for its suspect gay relationship between Noddy and Big Ears, where fear of sex is seeing a neo-Victorian revival, all I can say is get in there and experience that refreshing candour about sex and love a le francais!!!
Vive la France!!!!

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Nathaniel

Nathaniel rated it:

07/05/08

bookshelves: originally-in-french

Read in May, 2008

This is a collection of four short novels of different quality. "Claudine at School" is addictive, disarmingly funny, voyeuristic and memorable. I've read dozens of novels about young Europeans in secondary school and this one immediately joined my two or three favorites. Claudine narrates in a wonderfully vain and devilish fashion: “After a few lively skirmishes, I have to admit that she is an unusually good Headmistress; decisive, often imperious, with a strength of purpose that wo...more This is a collection of four short novels of different quality. "Claudine at School" is addictive, disarmingly funny, voyeuristic and memorable. I've read dozens of novels about young Europeans in secondary school and this one immediately joined my two or three favorites. Claudine narrates in a wonderfully vain and devilish fashion: “After a few lively skirmishes, I have to admit that she is an unusually good Headmistress; decisive, often imperious, with a strength of purpose that would be admirably clear-sighted if it were not occasionally blinded by rage.” and “Anais, who had noticed him too, took to kicking up her skirts as she ran so as to exhibit legs which, however, were far from attractive, also to laughing and uttering bird-like cries. She would have acted flirtatiously in the presence of a plough ox.” Throughout the first book, Claudine seems like a much more adventurous, sadistic and sexed-up version of Emma. “Claudine at School” is a confection.

In “Claudine in Paris” the human backdrop is a bit more hastily drawn and less sympathetic than the winning young ladies from school in Montingy. The narrative is still lively; Claudine is still acerbic and amusing; but once this novel starts heading towards a particular marriage, it seems rather inevitable and slow about its business. Some might find Colette’s treatment of homosexuality in early 20th century Paris intriguing and others might enjoy her depiction of Paris’ socialite class in action; I found neither of these elements as interesting the passages more tightly focused on Claudine and the complications that she creates.

“Claudine Married” starts fantastically, “Definitely, there is something wrong with our married life. Renaud knows nothing about it yet; how should he know?” and is a return to the pace and quality of the first novel. The relationship dynamics in this third installment are wonderful fodder: a considerably older and distantly related paternal husband who wishes to be cuckolded by the potential lesbian love affairs of his little wife and who is decidedly aroused by a field trip to her alma mater. Colette carefully matures the tone of her heroine as her ability to read and understand the people around her improves. Throughout this novel Claudine continues to be gemstone perfect in her reflections and utterances: “My dear giant, whom I was distracting (without his grumbling) from virtuous industry, does not always understand the causes of what he calls ‘my shipwrecks.’” Or “Is your husband going to rise up out of the shadows again like an Anglo-Indian Satan?”

“Claudine and Anne” was a total disappointment. Despite devouring the first three books, I gave up on this one after about forty pages, skimmed the rest of it and decided it should have been excluded from the collection altogether. The narrative reigns have been handed to a considerably dimmer and more subservient young wife named Anne, whose thoughts are not unique or spicy enough to sustain a novel. The fact that we get to glimpse Claudine from this easily-scandalized dimwit’s point of view is a very small consolation and in fact, it is actually depressing to see Clauding reduced to a two dimensional, wise-cracking temptress. A reader would need to have been enjoying these books in a way totally removed from my own fashion to still take pleasure in the fourth book.

But who cares, books one and three are excellent. The all-pervading style and tone of them is too well-crafted to avoid. It is a treat to situate Colette’s work amongst other literature from the continent at that period; she adds breadth to her own moment in history.

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Denis

Denis rated it:

11/19/08

One of the greatest writer of the French language. Not sure how it translates in English. All of Colette's novels are fabulous, but this serie of books about a wonderfully adventurous and slightly perverse young girl is an absolute delight. Very French!

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Miki

Miki rated it:

12/07/07

bookshelves: favorites

Read in January, 1995

It sounds like a pitch for the trashiest reality TV show ever: bisexual schoolgirls in rural France!

But actually CLAUDINE is a classic... the great Colette's first published work and a non-guilty guilty pleasure to read. Claudine herself is a role model for aspiring bad girls everywhere: charmingly feline, frighteningly lucid, unapologetically sensual, and wise beyond her years. In short, she's a French schoolgirl version of the biblical Eve.

P.S. She also has a beautiful white cat...more

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Annie

Annie rated it:

11/21/08

Sensualist without sensationalism. Though I assume that this was way scandalous for her time. Claudine is spunky and hilarious.

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Eileen

Eileen rated it:

09/08/07

Read in April, 2005

This cover actually made me do a lot of reading on Evelyn Nesbit/"the girl in the red velvet swing" and the whole turn of the century murder scandal. All these editions make me want to do visual research.

So, Colette. Claudine is too autobio and fake-sensual-giggly and "oh my petticoat ha ha!" autoerotic/demure for me. This was oddly fascinating to read, considering that. It's hard to believe that people thought like this before WWII ended the whole generational cultur...more

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Kim

Kim rated it:

05/20/08

bookshelves: books-that-have-affected-my-life

My mother bought this four-novel collection for me, strangely. She didn't know anything about Colette or what these novels were about--she just thought the cover looked like something I would like. These four novels probably have more to do with who I am now than anything else I have ever read. And thank God, they introduced me to Colette, who has been so important to me forever. "Est-ce que vous etes pour, ou contre, le second metier de l'ecrivain?"

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emily

emily rated it:

10/19/07

Read in September, 2007

Ok, so I skimmed the last two books. But I still feel like I can say that Claudine at School is the best. By far. Also I have to warn you that this is not the best beach and/or travel reading, even if you've had it on your shelf for like six months and want the sweet satisfaction of finally having read (slash skimmed) it.

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laura

laura rated it:

(review of isbn 0140183221)

08/25/07

bookshelves: fiction

recommends it for: oversexed victorians. undersexed victorians.

what i'm actually reading is 'claudine and annie'-- the last of the four stories-- a little pocket-sized penguin edition from the early seventies. the back cover says "feathery near-pornography', and that's about right, assuming an older and more quaint sense of the term. it's all very breathless!

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Sonia

Sonia rated it:

09/11/08

Read in August, 2008

the first two books get five stars, especially "claudine at school"- absolutely hilarious! claudine married was a bit of a bore, and i didn't see the point of the last book at all as it was hardly about claudine at all, but the first two books were good enough to merit four stars in all.

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Grace

Grace rated it:

09/23/07

some people say, "oh, once you reach the end of proust, you'll feel like you've lost a friend." I felt that way when i finished the claudine books. though there's plenty other colette to keep you going, it's all too grown up for me. (intellectually lazy, that's me.)

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Jameson

Jameson rated it:

09/02/08

Read in September, 2008

Claudine has got to be one of the most memorable fictional character ever. Witty, cutting, hilarious, original, charming, outrageous. A pleasure to read all of these books.

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Kate

Kate rated it:

02/16/08

Read in May, 2007

The best book. Claudine is the most alive character I've ever read. I adore this book and can reread it 100,000 times without getting sick of it.

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Carly

Carly rated it:

09/12/07

Read in March, 2005

i love Claudine! she's so bad! i only read the first 2 of the collection, but i know i'll revisit them all. she's so naughty!

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Virginia

Virginia rated it:

10/13/07

I read Collette because she seemed important in literature, and surprisingly, ended up enjoying these books.

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Alanna

Alanna rated it:

03/16/07

I love the french, and I love Colette's playful take on sexuality at the turn of the century. Perfect beach book.

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Rosemary

Rosemary rated it:

(review of isbn 0140183221)

04/15/07

Read in January, 2000

i adored this book, and desperately aspired to BE claudine in high school– which explains a lot.

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1 comment

Bmilioto

Bmilioto rated it:

03/26/08

perhaps my favorite writer ever. little known here in the US, but truly beautiful writing.

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Claudine

Claudine rated it:

(review of isbn 0140183221)

03/04/08

...not quite done, this is a read always in progress. Of course I must read it...HELLO!

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Kelly

Kelly rated it:

03/21/07

recommends it for: playful teens, whimsical adults

fanciful prose. girl crushes. delicious mischief. you will delight in Claudine, no doubt.

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