Villette
Villette, published in 1853, was Charlotte Brontë's last novel and draws on her own years as a teacher in Brussels. Lucy Snowe, poor, plain and without family, leaves England alone and finds work in a girls' school in the city of Villette, run by the watchful Madame Beck. There she observes the flirtations of the pupils and the visits of the English doctor John Graham Bretton, whom she silently loves, and is drawn into a prickly friendship with the irascible professor Paul Emanuel. A ghostly nun haunts the garden. Lucy is a reserved and sometimes unreliable narrator who tells the reader less than she knows, and the book's study of loneliness, repression and self-command is among the most searching in Victorian fiction. It is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, with the first chapter free.
Start reading right away, without signing up. The complete text is included in Vinteuil Reading, or yours forever with a one-time purchase.
Frequently asked questions about Villette
Villette by Charlotte Brontë can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read Villette online?
Yes. Villette opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is Villette free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of Villette is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is Villette in the public domain?
Yes. Villette by Charlotte Brontë is a public-domain work. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read Villette?
About 13 h 08 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is Villette?
Villette by Charlotte Brontë is filed under "Fiction" in the Vinteuil library.
