Welcome to Litsy!

THE PASSION has a couple of solid insights, like the quote above, but I found Henri‘s bits beyond dull. I came THIS CLOSE to bailing about five times over the first fifty pages, but I figured it was short enough that I should at least give Villanelle‘s POV a go. She interested me enough that I did finish the book, but it‘ll stick with me for the dullness (and the comma splices; UGH) more than anything else.

Definitely not recommended.

This covers a lot more territory than Winterson's other novels I've read: we see Napoleon's army triumphant in France to frozen in Russia, followed by an escape to Venice's maze of canals. It has fantastic elements that aren't on every page but are very memorable when they appear. It's got romance, tragedy, horror, war, and is extremely quotable. And one of the greatest tricks is how what should be a 500 page epic is only 160 pages.

I picked this up after it was referenced in the last john Irving and what a joy of magical storytelling. Set in the reign of napoleon it centres on Henri, the great man's personal chicken chef, and villanelle the venetian dtr of a boatman. A story of passion for a charismatic monster, unrequited passion for a woman, + passion between 2 women. With madness, starvation, and stolen hearts (literally) this was a compelling, interesting + magical read.

Unfortunately not one for me , appreciate parts of this short novella are beautifully written but the story didn‘t grip me.

First book 📕 of the month happy 😃 March and happy 😃 reading 📖 here in the uk 🇬🇧 spring 💐is around the corner

Finally got around to reading this book that‘s been on my shelf for well over a decade, just in time for pride month. It‘s short and quite lovely in its mix of historical fiction, magical realism, and queerness. I think it tries to do more than it accomplishes, but overall I enjoyed it. #catsoflitsy

Day 23 - #Passion #FebruaryFeels
#ThePassion #JeanetteWinterson

I own this book and look forward to reading it soon. It is on the #1001bookstoreadbeforeyoudie list.

Wow! This reminded me a of one of my all time favourite novels, Perfume by Patrick Suskind. Evocative, surreal, twisted and beautiful. Henri, Villanelle and their cast of weirdos took me on quite the journey in this pint-sized classic.

A glass of bubbles to toast the beginning of four weeks of leave and reading 🥂📚👏😎.

Seems to be a bit of Litsy love for this one. #currentlyreading

Revisiting this gem via audiobook. #queerbooks

Possibly my fave Jeanette Winterson so far? The historical, carnivalesque magic realism was so exciting and surreal - Napoleon‘s butcher and a queer casino worker tricking people into thinking she‘s different genders, surrounded by people with missing hearts in shadowy beautiful Venice 🥰 it felt like a fairy tale and had strong Angela Carter vibes for me, and made me desperate to go to Venice again.

"I asked him why he was a priest, and he said if you have to work for anybody an absentee boss is best."

I'm two-fisting Jeanette Winterson (this one and The World and Other Places) in deference to the cold weather. Jeanette Winterson should really be read when it's cold.

#septemberdanes
“Book collecting is an obsession, an occupation, a disease, an addiction, a #fascination, an absurdity, a fate. It is not a hobby. Those who do it must do it.”
― Jeanette Winterson
@Cinfhen @Kalalalatja

The Passion is one of my books of the year so far. @mr_annie & I discuss it in this week‘s episode of Books On The Go. Take a listen! 📚🎧

Pulsing with life, Winterson explores love, lust and longing in this short but meaty novel. The characters are almost from a fairytale, although recognisable in their desires and search for understanding. What glorious technicolor she paints in - and that language! I could have highlighted the whole book.

A brilliant, pithy book set in Boulogne & Venice during the Napoleonic wars. Winterson gets to the heart of being human: to play the game of life, you have to gamble your “valuable and fabulous thing” - your heart, your life. Henri is Napoleon‘s chicken chef; Villanelle falls in love with a woman at a Venice casino. Strong, poetic writing. Villanelle is original & spirited, Henri touching & the Bonapartes described with fairness & wit. 💜

Getting my #PrideMonth on. This is brilliant so far. 🙌🏼🌈

I couldn't stop reading and will think about this book and all its meanings and metaphors for some time to come.

Napoleonic Wars...

I‘m going into this one with high skepticism.
It comes highly recommended by a friend though and I‘ve read Winterson before.

Anyone read this one?

My #top10authorrecommendations ❤️❤️❤️

Pick your favourite! #weirdestbookcover #riotgrams

I know @GypsyKat posted this quote a few weeks ago but it resonated with my soul slot so I made a pretty graphic for it and am reposting. Also I'm relatively sure the quote doesn't go with the book but 😅 #quotes #lgbtq

I'm 200 pages into Shadow of Night, which I'm loving even more than ADOW. I think this book might be next on my list.

#IKissedAGirl both the Passion and Orlando are still on my TBR! I'm still recovering from Nightwood... 📚😬 #JuneTunz

The passion
The wrath and the dawn
The wicked will rise
Gulp...
We will shoot back.

#SpinePoetry #24in48

I thought it was appropriate for Women's March day.

Part 2. Because it was really bugging me that I had left these out. Please don't be surprised by a part 3. #womenwriters #womenwhowrite #somethingforsept

Part 2. Because it was really bugging me that I had left these out. Please don't be surprised by a part 3. #womenwriters #womenwhowrite #somethingforsept

My best friend got married last night and I got to read this at the wedding. 😍 It was quite an honor.

AMAZING!!! Napoleonic Wars era drama with so much to think about. Made me want to reread her Written on the Body because WOW.

This was my first Jeanette Winterson book! The writing was beautiful. It has the type of passages you have to underline because it perfectly captures a thought you've had a million times and have never been able to articulate. I really enjoyed it and look forward to picking up more of her books!

Love, obsession and dangerous passions against the backdrop of the NapoleonicWars. Clever, insightful and a bit melancholy. http://cannonballread.com/2016/06/passion-obsession-and-napoleon/