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Hellé

A Novel
By Marcelle Tinayre
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Brief Description
The first major English translation of Marcelle Tinayre's Belle Époque novel that interrogates the struggle of coming of age as a young woman in a changing modern world. Raised in the countryside by her reclusive classicist uncle, Hellé's ideals are put to the test when she... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$4799
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Releases 10th January 2027 (Approx. Date) Pre-order  "Hellé" now to secure your copy from our first shipment

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The first major English translation of Marcelle Tinayre's Belle Époque novel that interrogates the struggle of coming of age as a young woman in a changing modern world.

Raised in the countryside by her reclusive classicist uncle, Hellé's ideals are put to the test when she encounters the decadence and frivolity of Parisian society. Yet there she also meets the young political theorist and resolute socialist Antoine Genesvrier, who urges Hellé and her uncle to join him in supporting the city's poor and advocating for social justice.

Meanwhile, Hellé's head is turned by the poet Maurice Clairmont, hailed by Parisian society as "the new Byron" and eager to win over Hellé with his beauty and charm. Caught between her love of beauty and her burgeoning social concern, Hellé must choose between two men, two ideals, and two worlds, while also staying true to herself. Tinayre infuses Hellé's voice with the classical allusions of her uncle's education and her love for the natural world, creating a fresh, engaging narrative that awakens both the mind and heart.

In this first major English translation, Grace Ashton brings exquisite resonance of tone, register, and spirit to Marcelle Tinayre's perennially relevant novel.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781961056176

Publisher: Swan Isle Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 20 December 2026

Country: United States

Imprint: Swan Isle Press

Contributors:

  • Translated by Grace Ashton
  • Foreword by Rachel Mesch

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 229.0mm

Weight: 454g

Pages: 200

Collections

Coming Soon in Fiction Fiction General Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Marcelle Tinayre Pre-order Books Pre-order General Fiction Pre-orders Pre-orders by Release Date

About the Author

Marcelle Tinayre (1870–1948) was a French novelist, travel writer, and woman of letters. Hellé is among the earliest of her more than twenty novels. Her work examines love, marriage, and the place of women in the rapidly evolving society of Belle Époque France. Grace Ashton is a Boston-based translator and writer. She received her MFA in literary translation from Boston University and her BA in French literature and religious studies from Agnes Scott College. 

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