Villa of Characters
Review of the Penguin Modern Classics paperback (1993) translated with an introduction by Paul Vincent of the Dutch language original (1913)

No one had ever come up with an acceptable explanation for the descriptive tag 'des Roses'. True, there was a garden attached to the house, which in itself is quite a rarity in Paris, but since Monsieur and Madame Brulot had moved in - more than sixteen years previously - no one had lifted so much as a finger towards its upkeep, so that all roses and other flowers were things of the past. Moreover, it got very little sun, as the neighbouring houses cast their giant shadows over the whole plot. The only thing able to survive such conditions was the grass, thriving as it does all the more the less it is cared for, and delighting in neglected masonry and incipient ruins.

I had never heard of Belgian writer Willem Ellschot (penname of Alfons de Ridder [1882-1960]) when I was able to borrow a copy of this now out-of-print Penguin Modern Classics edition of his first novella. Granta Books seems to be the only current publisher of Ellschot in English and then only with the two editions of Villa des Roses and his most popular novella Cheese (1933), both in their Paul Vincent translations. Wikipedia says that Cheese is the most translated Flemish novel of all time.

See cover at https://i.pinimg.com/564x/af/9d/c7/af9dc70ffbeb584bcce5c3a4675c5b55.jpg
A particularly colorful book cover of one of the Dutch language editions showing Chico the monkey and Villa des Roses proprietress Madame Brulot. Image sourced from Pinterest.

Villa des Roses presents a motley crew of inhabitants at a somewhat down at its heels boarding house establishment in early 20th century Paris. Ellschot wrote the book in 1910, having based it on his own real-life experiences while working in Paris and living in a similar situation. Monsieur and Madame Brulot preside over their varying clientele with a sliding scale of daily rates, usually based on the ability to pay.

Some of the characters are in quite desperate circumstances though, which they are barely able to conceal from their fellow boarders. The story mostly centres on the seduction of the maid Louise by an unscrupulous German businessman Grünewald, but there is room for some even darker situations as well with the suicidal Monsieur Brizard, the absconding Monsieur Martin and the vengeful kleptomaniac Madame Gendron. In fact some of the scenes and lines here were quite shocking due to their casual delivery. The brutality of one line will likely live in your memory forever once you know the context:

It was a simple funeral: he went to Mrs Wimhurst's pension by a roundabout route and, on the way, in a deserted street, threw the package with the thing in it over a fence.

See DVD cover at https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNTIzMTU2MjI0Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwODk1NDAz...
DVD cover for the 2002 film version of "Villa des Roses". Image sourced from IMDb.

Villa des Roses was an insightful portrayal of a variety of character types which encompassed the full spectrum of comedy through to tragedy. My thanks to friend Tony Souza for the loan of this rare book!

Trivia and Links
I highly recommend reading this very informative review by my GR friend Ilse which contains further background on the novel including a link to research about Willem Ellschot's time in Paris.

Villa des Roses was adapted into the English language same-titled film in 2002 directed by Frank van Passel, which starred Julie Delpy as Louise and Shaun Dingwall as Richard Grünewald. There is no trailer on YouTube but you can see the trailer at IMDb. The tone of the trailer leads me to suspect that the movie adaptation plays up the romantic over the comic elements of the book.

Villa des Roses was also adapted as a 3 hour Dutch language TV series in 1989 directed by Marc Lybaert. You can watch the entire 3 hour series in 3 parts on YouTube (but without subtitles) starting with Part 1 here. ( )

I suppose it was a good book in its time but now it's a bit of a naïve story. Easy read but noting special. ( )

Vroegste werk van Elschot, niet zo representatief voor zijn latere zakelijker werk, maar in elk geval kwalitatief al meteen op wereldniveau. Sluit aan bij de klassieke burgerlijke roman, maar licht naturalistische toets. (oa over abortus). Prachtige tekening van de Belle Epoque-burgerij. Schets van een triest tranendal. ( )

Deprimerend verhaal, strak, spber, elegant verwoording van een kleinburgerlijke zedenschets ( )

Bedrieglijk eenvoudige stijl met ingehouden ironie. Meesterwerk ( )