Title: The Passion
Author: Jeanette Winterson
First published January 1, 1987
160 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780802135223 (ISBN10: 0802135226)
Rating: 4.1
Overview
Jeanette Winterson’s mesmerizing novel, The Passion, takes readers on a surrealistic journey through Napolean’s Europe. This modern classic tells the story of Henri, a French soldier, and Villanelle, a red-haired Venetian boatman’s daughter.
As they navigate the tumultuous years of the Napoleonic Wars, they are drawn together in Venice’s carnival of chance and darkness. With her signature blend of reality and fantasy, Winterson weaves a hypnotic tale that confirms her place as one of the most important writers in world literature.
The Passion is a stunning and unforgettable novel that will leave readers breathless.
About the Author
Jeanette Winterson, a novelist from Manchester, England, was born in 1959 and raised in Accrington, Lancashire. She was adopted and brought up in a strict Pentecostal Evangelist household, which served as inspiration for her first novel, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, published in 1985.
After graduating from St Catherine’s College, Oxford, she moved to London and worked as an assistant editor at Pandora Press.
Winterson is considered one of the most original voices in British fiction from the 1980s. She was named as one of the 20 “Best of Young British Writers” in a promotion run jointly between the literary magazine Granta and the Book Marketing Council.
She has written for BBC television, including an adaptation of “Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit” in 1990 and “Great Moments in Aviation,” a television screenplay directed by Beeban Kidron for BBC2 in 1994. Winterson is also the editor of a series of new editions of novels by Virginia Woolf published in the UK by Vintage.
She regularly contributes reviews and articles to various newspapers and journals, and has a column published in The Guardian. Her radio drama includes the play Text Message, broadcast by BBC Radio in November 2001.
Winterson resides in Gloucestershire and London, and her work has been published in 28 countries.
Editoral Review
Jeanette Winterson’s The Passion is a masterpiece of postmodern literature that challenges the boundaries of traditional storytelling. Winterson’s unique style blends elements of magical realism, historical fiction, and romance to create a captivating narrative that explores themes of love, obsession, and identity.
Set in Napoleonic Europe, The Passion tells the story of Henri, a young French soldier, and Villanelle, a mysterious Venetian woman. Both characters are searching for something they cannot name, and their paths cross in a series of chance encounters that ultimately lead them on a journey of self-discovery.
Winterson’s writing is poetic and evocative, capturing the essence of each character’s emotions with vivid imagery and sensory detail. The novel’s nonlinear structure adds to its complexity, as the reader is taken on a journey through time and space that blurs the lines between reality and fantasy.
One of the strengths of The Passion is its characters. Henri and Villanelle are both complex and well-developed, with distinct personalities and motivations.
Winterson’s exploration of gender and sexuality is also particularly notable, as both characters challenge traditional gender roles and expectations.
Another strength of the novel is its historical and cultural significance. Winterson’s portrayal of Napoleonic Europe is both accurate and imaginative, and her use of magical realism adds a layer of mystical intrigue to the setting.
The novel also touches on themes of colonialism and imperialism, highlighting the complex power dynamics at play in the era.
However, The Passion is not without its flaws. The nonlinear structure can be confusing at times, and some readers may find the magical realism elements too far-fetched.
Additionally, the novel’s focus on love and obsession may not appeal to all readers.
Overall, The Passion is a stunning work of literature that defies categorization. Winterson’s writing is masterful, and her exploration of love, identity, and power is both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant.
I would highly recommend this novel to readers who enjoy challenging, unconventional storytelling and are interested in exploring the complexities of human emotion. I give The Passion a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
