The Passion

The Passion by Jeannette Winterson is a story of love and lost love told from the perspective of two characters, Villanelle, a cross-dressing, web-footed, red-headed woman from Venice, and Henri, a young French boy who is thrust into the scene as Napolean Bonaparte’s cook. The first two chapters tell the personal sagas of the two characters.  In chapter one, Henri covers for the cook when Napolean decides to visit the kitchen and finds young Henri doing great work with the food, while the cook is drunk on the floor.  Bonaparte is so enamored with Henri’s work that he installs him as his personal cook.  Henri lives through eight years of service also on the front line, but always in the kitchen. Then we switch to Villanelle and her life dressed as a boy working in the casinos, and eventually falling in love with a woman customer whom she visits while the woman’s husband is out of town.   Chapters three and four provide the story of how the two characters' paths cross, Henri falling in love with Villanelle.  The reader also learns how Villanelle has had her heart ripped out by her married female lover.  We learn that “Passion” is not safe and love is not always returned.  Henri falls for Villanelle, but what happens to that love?  Can Villanelle escape her life as a prostitute, gambler, and heartless woman?  Henri will go to any lengths to demonstrate his love for Villanelle, but how will Villanelle respond?  What role does Bonaparte play in influencing his loyal soldier Henri?  Will France overtake the world? Well, we actually know how that part ends for us history buffs.  Winterson does a nice job interweaving intrigue in a setting of love and war.  Well done with lots of levels of understanding in this one!