. Colette

"An exquisite new translation of Colette's tragicomic masterpiece, a pair of novels exploring the relationship between an aging courtesan and a much younger man. Chéri and its sequel, The End of Chéri, mark Colette's finest achievements, in their brilliant, subtle, and frank investigations of love and power. Set in the Parisian demimonde in the last days of the Belle Époque, Chéri tells the story of Léa, a courtesan at the end of a successful...

The story of the love affair between a beautiful retired courtesan Lea, and Chéri, the son of her old colleague and rival, Madame Peloux. After six years Madame Peloux has secretly arranged a marriage between Chéri and Edmee, the daughter of another rich courtesan. As the inevitable moment of parting approaches, Lea and Cheri begin to understand, too late, how much they mean to one another.

Gaston is weary of the conventions of society. He is a rich playboy and is the scion of a wealthy Parisian family who wants to find emotional refuge from the superficial lifestyle of upper class Parisian 1900s society. He seeks refuge with the former mistress of his uncle and her outgoing, tomboy granddaughter, Gigi. She is a youthful courtesan-in-training. When Gaston becomes aware that Gigi has matured into a woman, her grandmother and aunt urge...