re:mote voices

Title: The Passion
Author: Jeanette Winterson
Publisher: Vintage Blue

Over the last few years Vintage have been using the strong marketing tool of taking some of its existing books and republishing them under a banner. This usually includes a somewhat limited edition, compact format, which is sold for a reduced price. By my calculation the Vintage Blue banner is the third such campaign, and with that the most strikingly themed – in that the theory is that these novels are some how “blue”, or kind of erotic. Although looking at the titles the concept seems a little arbitrary – undeniably some of the novels do have a definite risqué edge in that regard, but on the whole I detect a more peripheral sense. The idea that the tales inhabit the edges of reality, and at points can be considered a little dangerous.

Reading The Passion, part of me wonders at the decision to include it under the Vintage Blue banner. Winterson has certainly been reported in a certain manner over the years, which might provide the conclusion that her inclusion would be a no-brainer. Although perhaps when someone was given a brief description of The Passion they misinterpreted the ideas somewhat? We are initially introduced to the first character in a capacity that could be described as the choker of Napoleon’s chicken. While the second character cross-dresses and has a lesbian affair before becoming a whore. So there you go – The Passion is a “blue” novel.

Of course, like The Power Book, which is the only other Winterson novel I have read, Winterson plays with ideas of narrative and gender. She gives the impression that she is always just telling a tale, an idea which is expressed a couple of times through The Passion. The title itself coming from the characters observations of what gets people through their lives, what excites and motivates them – the idea that the sensation of passion lies somewhere between fear and sex.

The Passion is a short book, coming to about 160 pages, which to some might be considered a novella length publication rather than a complete novel. Split into the four sections – The Emperor, The Queen Of Spades, The Zero Winter and The Rock. The first two sections run parallel leading the characters from birth to New Year’s day in 1805, with the two remaining pieces entwining their narratives and switching back and forth.

Henri is a Frenchman who joined the army with the rise of Napoleon, and soon found himself in Napoleon’s kitchens, helping to maintain the steady supply of chicken – a meal which his leader could demand at any time. Villanelle is a girl in a Venice that has been conquered by Napoleon, the daughter of a boat man she conforms to their legends, but as a girl must find another way. Henri finds himself looking across the Channel to England waiting on New Year’s day for Napoleon to attack. Villanelle finds herself dressing as a man to avoid harassment while she works in a casino – but by that New Year’s day her heart has been stolen by a rich woman. The narrative then fast forwards a number of years – with Henri and Villanelle becoming acquainted on Napoleon’s reckless march against Moscow. From there the two share their life stories, while trying to find some kind of happiness, particularly one which allows them to survive the madness of the Zero Winter.

The Passion starts slowly, the introduction of Henri and his service to Napoleon is fairly straight forward and a little mundane. But then we switch to the mysterious city of Venice, where we have more of a sense of magic and the fantastic, all embodied in a real city. With that the scenes throughout The Passion which are set in Venice and feature Villanelle are the ones which I really enjoyed and made it all worthwhile. Like The Power Book, and the impressions I have of some of Winterson’s other work, The Passion is about storytelling, providing ideas of fairytales derived from the lives of people living in a real world but still working within the magic of dreams.