Bonjour Tristesse – a few hours in paradise

Bonjour Tristesse was written by Françoise Sagan in 1953 when she was only 17 years old. It was published once she had turned 18, and by 19 she was already an international bestseller who had become one of the most talked about young literary voices in France.
The story takes place somewhere on the French Riviera, where 17-year-old Cécile spends her summer in a rented villa away from Paris with her playboy dad, the 42-year-old Raymond, and his much younger girlfriend, Elsa. After a few weeks of tanning and swimming, the group is joined by a friend of Cécile’s late mother, the fashion designer Anne Larsen. I won’t spoil anything more here, but let’s just say the drama ensues rather quickly from there.
The literary qualities of the novella are many. It explores youth, coming of age, relationships between women and men, love, vengeance, desire, intoxicating freedom and crushing guilt. It’s really remarkable that a 17-year-old was able to reflect with such nuance on the teenage emotions of her main character.
But most important of all, you should read this book because it will transport you to a beach on the French Riviera in the 1950s. You can feel the sand and the scorching heat, hear the jazz and dance music drifting out from the nightclubs and feel the cool wind in your hair while driving along the coast in a convertible.
The book is only about a hundred pages long, and I was actually able to fit it in my pocket at the airport. It only took me a few hours to read, but it left a lasting impression.