The Passion

Synopsis

Set during the tumultuous years of the Napoleonic Wars, The Passion intertwines the destinies of two extraordinary people. Henri, a simple French soldier, follows Napoleon from glory to the frozen ruin of Russia, where his faith in his revered leader begins to collapse. Villanelle, the red-haired, web-footed daughter of a Venetian boatman, has lost her heart—literally—to a married noblewoman and knows something about the strange bargains of love.

When Henri and Villanelle meet in the carnival of early nineteenth-century Venice, their lives become entangled in a world of gambling, desire, chance, madness, and obsession. Blending history with fairy tale, fantasy, and dream, Jeanette Winterson creates a mesmerizing meditation on passion, love, and the limits of desire.

About the Author

Jeanette Winterson is a British novelist, essayist, and short-story writer. Her first novel, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, won the Whitbread Award for Best First Novel. Her other books include Written on the Body, The PowerBook, Lighthousekeeping, and The Passion, which won the Whitbread Prize for Best Novel.

Publisher

Grove Press

Publication Date

August 7, 1997

Format

Paperback

Pages

176

Subjects

LGBTQ+ · Historical Fiction · Literary Fiction · Magical Realism · Love & Desire · Fiction

ISBN

9780802135223