Bonjour tristesse • Françoise Sagan

When I read In einem Monat, in einem Jahr by Françoise Sagan two years ago, I knew it wouldn’t be the last book by this author I would read. Bonjour Tristesse, being her most famous work, was the obvious next choice — but at the time, it was only available in a rather unappealing edition. Somehow, my pile of unread books had grown so high that Sagan slipped off my radar again. That is, until this year, when I discovered the new edition published by Ullstein Verlag. I couldn’t resist and had to get it — especially since, at just 176 pages, it takes only a single evening to read.

The book tells the story of young Cécile, who returns to Paris to live with her widowed father after a long stay at boarding school. He is a middle-aged womanizer who leads a carefree, hedonistic life in Parisian society and introduces his daughter to it as well. The story begins with Cécile, her father, and his current lover moving into a summer villa on the Côte d’Azur to spend a relaxed and carefree holiday. But then Anne arrives — a sharp-minded, attractive, and composed woman. Cécile feels that her carefree time with her father is threatened and begins to plot an intricate scheme.

The story is told from Cécile’s first-person perspective and reads smoothly and quickly. You’re soon caught up in the protagonist’s thoughts and world, and I found it easy to adopt her point of view within a few pages. Sagan writes in a light, effortless style that still carries great depth. Her characters feel real and multi-dimensional, and the way she portrays her protagonist, her father, and his female acquaintances makes you feel as if you’re watching a film from the 1950s. I especially liked the dialogues and her descriptions of the characters’ reactions and body language.

“When his mouth sought mine, I began to tremble with desire as he did; our kiss was without remorse or shame, only a deep search, interrupted by whispers.” (p. 33)

The settings — the villa and the beautiful Mediterranean beaches of the Côte d’Azur — evoked in me that distinct atmosphere of the region, reminding me of other novels set on the French Riviera. The carefree lifestyle, the parties, and long hours spent in bars strongly recall the novels of the Lost Generation, as also evoked in Villa America. Together with the sharp dialogues and the precise character portrayals, this creates a wonderfully dense atmosphere. The books by Alfred Hayes also have this smoky, melancholic blues of the 1950s — even if my notion of it may be a little too romanticized and not entirely true to life.

I had expected a more minimalist narrative style, as is often found among existentialist writers of the early 20th century, and which also prevailed in In einem Monat, in einem Jahr. But this novel’s language is unpretentious, and I found the character descriptions pleasantly detailed. Sagan manages to craft vivid, focused imagery with few words, yet with great expressive power. Over the course of the novel, a richly detailed picture of each character gradually emerges.

“How appealing those two cheerful, impulsive years suddenly seemed to me, those two years I had recently denied so quickly. The freedom to think, even to think wrongly or to think less, the freedom to choose my own life, to choose myself. I cannot say ‘to be myself,’ for I was nothing more than malleable dough — but at least the freedom to refuse the mold.” (p. 67)

What makes this book a true masterpiece for me is the multi-layered, detailed, and contradictory nature that Sagan brings to life through Cécile. Surely, there’s a good deal of Sagan herself in her protagonist. But Cécile is a real teenager — full of doubt, unsure of her own mind and nature, torn between admiration and disgust for those around her. She is pliable yet defiant, cynical yet tender, insecure yet self-assured, with the persistent certainty that a life full of possibilities still lies ahead. The book makes this completely tangible, just as it captures the strong influence of those carefree, decadent years she spent with her father and his circle — shaping her character profoundly.

Françoise Sagan was only 18 years old when she wrote this book in just a few weeks and published it in 1954. Her debut brought her fame and fortune, but she also led a turbulent life — with setbacks, drugs, a car accident, failed marriages, and other escapades. She wrote numerous novels and plays, and Bonjour Tristesse was also adapted into a film. For me, it’s certain that I will be reading more of her work in the future.

I really like this edition. The cover is somewhat average — I would have preferred something that evokes the 1950s and the Côte d’Azur. However, the book itself is well produced, with an elegant embossed cover and a beautifully colored ribbon marker that harmonizes wonderfully with the endpapers and the dark book cloth, while contrasting nicely with the dust jacket. I’m very glad I didn’t settle for one of those shabby paperback editions back then and instead waited for this beautiful version.

What didn’t appeal to me at all, however, was the afterword, which I found overly feminist and emotionally charged. I would have preferred more factual information about Sagan, her life, and the original publication. An afterword should be more objective, but this one, with its many jabs and strong focus on the scandalous impact of the book in relation to 1950s gender roles, leaned too heavily into feminist commentary. Of course, that’s an important topic, but the teenage insecurity, the brilliant characterizations, the profound insights, and the depiction of society at the time — all these elements together make this book so remarkable, especially when read in the context of today’s world.

Conclusion: This book ranks among the best for me and has rightfully become a bestseller. Sagan’s light and entertaining writing style, combined with her precise and beautiful character portrayals, the dense atmosphere she creates, the engaging dialogues, and her realistic, non-stereotypical characters make reading this novel an absolute pleasure. This lovely new edition is definitely a recommendation — with its distinctive atmosphere evoking the Côte d’Azur of the 1950s, it’s a perfect read for a day at the beach. A book I can wholeheartedly recommend.

Book information: Bonjour Tristesse • Françoise Sagan • Ullstein Hardcover • 274 pages • ISBN 9783550081385