Gigi by Collette

genre: historical fiction

Raised by her grandmother and great-aunt, Gigi knows she should be respectable. There are so many rules when one must be respectable - but Gigi’s free spirit can manage to both follow the rules and manage things in her own way. She knows herself and the limits of her life but it doesn’t stop her from dreaming. Being a courtesan does require a certain amount of decorum though - Gigi just has to decide that she cares and thus far she hasn’t! She’d rather play cards with the friendly Tonton, whose money and exploits make his friendship such a boon for Gigi and her family of women.

A short novel, a novella, really, Gigi is both humorous and sad. Sad to imagine that so many women really were taught that to make yourself as small and dainty as possible is the way to happiness with a man - but sometimes it’s such nonsense that it really is funny. I have to say, I started it THREE TIMES before I wanted to finish but now that I have, it’s actually a fast read. I think the age gap, the grooming to be a courtesan stuff, it just doesn’t feel super cozy to read about. So on the surface - clever and well-written - but underneath a bit unsettling.

Note I didn't read this whole book, only the first novella