Cécile meets Cyril, a young man with whom she goes sailing. Days go by, and the trio seem happy and content. Cécile's father has brought along his mistress of the moment, Elsa. They've rented a villa in the South of France, right on the ocean, lazying in the sun and their nights clubbing. It's now Summer Cécile has failed her latest exams but isn't really bothered by it (neither seems to be her father). Together, they have fun, attend a number of parties and drink too much. Granted it's a short novel but I was quite literally glued to the page from start to finish.īonjour Tristesse is the story of seventeen year old Cécile who lives with her father, a widower for the past fifteen year and who indulges in women and alcohol. I read the whole think in one seating on the plane. There's something effortless that transpires from Bonjour Tristesse, a novel she wrote at the age of 18 and which mainly focuses on the discovery of female sexuality in the fifties.

While I haven't totally completed this reading challenge I think Françoise Sagan might just be the greatest discovery that's come out of it! I instantly fell in love with her voice and style which have something airy, casual and nonchalant but are always precise and spot on. Readers will be introduced to love's endlessly fascinating possibilities and extremities: romantic love, platonic love, erotic love, gay love, virginal love, adulterous love, parental love, filial love, nostalgic love, unrequited love, illicit love, not to mention lost love, twisted and obsessional love. United by the theme of love, the writings in the 'Great Loves' series span over two thousand years and vastly different worlds.

But when her father decides to remarry, their carefree existence becomes clouded by tragedy. On holiday in the South of France, she is seduced by the sun, the sand and her first lover. This read was for the 2011 French Female Writers Throughout the Ages reading challenge, 20th century novel.Ĭecile leads a hedonistic, frivolous life with her father and his young mistresses.

Bonjour tristesse by Françoise Sagan