“This strange new feeling of mine, obsessing me by its sweet languor, is such that I am reluctant to name it. Could it be sadness?”
Chapter 1
Cécile, a seventeen-year-old girl, spends her summer on the French Riviera with her wealthy and carefree father, Raymond. Their hedonistic lifestyle is disrupted when Anne Larsen, an old friend of Cécile’s late mother, arrives. Anne is sophisticated and disciplined, a stark contrast to Raymond’s frivolous nature.
Chapter 2
Anne begins to impose order on their chaotic lives, urging Cécile to study and discouraging Raymond’s reckless behavior. Cécile resents Anne’s interference but is also intrigued by her intelligence and poise. Meanwhile, Cécile starts a flirtation with Cyril, a young law student staying nearby.
Chapter 3
Raymond unexpectedly announces his engagement to Anne, shocking Cécile. Fearing that Anne will permanently disrupt their carefree existence, Cécile devises a plan to sabotage the relationship. She manipulates her father’s ex-lover, Elsa, into re-entering their lives to reignite Raymond’s wandering affections.
Chapter 4
Cécile’s scheme unfolds as Elsa flirts openly with Raymond, provoking Anne’s jealousy. Anne remains composed but grows increasingly distant. Cyril, unaware of Cécile’s machinations, becomes a pawn in her game when she feigns romantic interest in him to further unsettle Anne.
Chapter 5
Tensions escalate as Anne confronts Raymond about his behavior. Cécile’s manipulations reach a climax when Anne discovers Cyril and Cécile in an intimate but staged embrace. Heartbroken and humiliated, Anne storms off in her car.
Chapter 6
A tragic twist occurs when Anne dies in a car accident, implied to be a suicide. Cécile is consumed by guilt but refuses to fully acknowledge her role in the tragedy. Raymond, devastated, retreats into his old habits, and their lives return to a hollow version of their former freedom.
Chapter 7
In the aftermath, Cécile reflects on the consequences of her actions. She recognizes the fleeting nature of happiness and the weight of her choices, but she remains emotionally detached, embracing the melancholy that now defines her—her “bonjour tristesse” (hello, sadness).
Key Ideas
- The destructive consequences of youthful impulsivity and manipulation.
- The tension between hedonism and moral responsibility.
- The fleeting nature of happiness and the inevitability of regret.
- The psychological complexity of guilt and emotional detachment.
- The contrast between freedom and oppressive societal expectations.
Notable Adaptations
| 1958 | Bonjour Tristesse (Film) | Directed by Otto Preminger, starring Jean Seberg and Deborah Kerr. |
Who should read this book?
- Readers drawn to psychological character studies and moral ambiguity.
- Fans of French existentialist literature and coming-of-age narratives.
- Those interested in post-war European societal critiques.
- Lovers of concise, emotionally charged prose.