Summary of Gigi
“Gigi” is a novella about a poor 15-year-old girl in 1899 Belle Époque Paris. She is educated by her mother and grandmother to become a courtesan and make her way in the ‘demi-monde’ of Paris. However, when a wealthy young man named Gaston falls in love with her, Gigi surprises everybody by refusing him, as she does not want to become merely his mistress.
Reasons to read Gigi
“Gigi” has a simple plot but is written in elegant and tender prose. The novella was adapted into a Broadway play in 1951, starring the then-unknown Audrey Hepburn as Gigi. It was also made into an American musical film in 1958, directed by Vincente Minnelli. The story of “Gigi” was inspired by the life of Yola Letellier, a French socialite who married a rich investor, newspaper publisher, and politician. Colette, the author of “Gigi”, was a famous French novelist, actress, and journalist. “Gigi” remains her best-known work, especially among English readers, but other notable works of Colette include the “Claudine” novels, “La vagabonde”, “Chéri”, and the short story collection “Tendrils of the Vine” (“Les vrilles de la vigne”), which was listed in Le Monde’s 100 Books of the Century in 1999. In 2018, a biographical film “Colette”, starring Keira Knightley, was released, based on Colette’s life as a young woman.
Setting: Paris (France)
Original title: Gigi
Year of publication: 1944
Nr of pages: 160
