Gigi

Gigi is a novella by Colette set in Parisian high society at the turn of the 20th century. The story follows Gilberte, known as Gigi, a young girl being trained by her family’s friend, Madame Alvarez, to become a fashionable courtesan. As Gigi grows up, she begins to question the life expected of her and resists the traditional path laid out by society. Her relationship with the wealthy and charming Gaston challenges those expectations, leading her toward a different kind of future. Witty and elegant, the novella explores themes of social class, independence, love, and female agency, while gently critiquing the conventions of aristocratic Parisian society.