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Finistère
The 1920s. When wealthy American adolescent Matthew Cameron moves to France following his parents' divorce, he struggles to assimilate to his new surroundings. But when a new tennis instructor -- Michel Garnier -- arrives at Matthew's boarding school, a forbidden relationship develops that will have unforeseen consequences.
Published in 1951, Finistère is a trailblazing LGBTQ+ novel. It locates tragedy not in the same-sex nature of the relationship between Matthew and Michel, but rather in the failure of their family, and wider society, to accept their relationship. Having sold over 350,000 copies, Fritz Peters's most successful novel kicked off the explosion of unapologetically gay literature that would be published in the next decades in the United States and Britain. In this context, Finistère was meaningful to a generation of queer readers who struggled to encounter literature that depicted their reality respectfully.
However, Finistère is a meditation on more than just homosexuality and forbidden love. Through its sensitively rendered characters, Peters illuminates culture clash, class conflict, divorce, child-rearing, and the gaps in empathy that can provoke life’s greatest pains. As such, Finistère is a transcendent novel that outlasts its historical moment and will appeal to all lovers of great literature.
--
“It is difficult for most American authors to write a novel about a homosexual affair without making either a tract or an apologia. Mr. Peters has done neither. Instead, he has kept resolutely in focus his great theme: the corruption and murder of innocence.”
-GORE VIDAL
Published in 1951, Finistère is a trailblazing LGBTQ+ novel. It locates tragedy not in the same-sex nature of the relationship between Matthew and Michel, but rather in the failure of their family, and wider society, to accept their relationship. Having sold over 350,000 copies, Fritz Peters's most successful novel kicked off the explosion of unapologetically gay literature that would be published in the next decades in the United States and Britain. In this context, Finistère was meaningful to a generation of queer readers who struggled to encounter literature that depicted their reality respectfully.
However, Finistère is a meditation on more than just homosexuality and forbidden love. Through its sensitively rendered characters, Peters illuminates culture clash, class conflict, divorce, child-rearing, and the gaps in empathy that can provoke life’s greatest pains. As such, Finistère is a transcendent novel that outlasts its historical moment and will appeal to all lovers of great literature.
--
“It is difficult for most American authors to write a novel about a homosexual affair without making either a tract or an apologia. Mr. Peters has done neither. Instead, he has kept resolutely in focus his great theme: the corruption and murder of innocence.”
-GORE VIDAL
358 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1951
8 people are currently reading
2303 people want to read
About the author
Fritz Peters
29 books22 followersBorn in Madison, Wisconsin, Arthur Anderson “Fritz” Peters was the author of both novels and memoirs, which touched on themes of spirituality, mental illness, homosexuality, self and society, always through the lens of an unrelenting individuality and nonconformism. Peters’ most successful novel was Finistère, published in 1951, which sold over 350,000 copies and was an influential and unapologetic work of early gay literature. Due to instability in his family life, Peters spent his childhood between Europe and the United States, often nurtured by those adults who were able and willing to assist. Central to his upbringing was his aunt Margaret Anderson and her partner Jane Heap, creators of The Little Review literary magazine, along with other members of their circle, such as Gertrude Stein. Most notably, the esoteric teacher George Gurdjieff interacted closely with Fritz from an early age and was hugely influential in Peters’ life and literature. Boyhood with Gurdjieff, Peters’ most popular memoir, paints these figures and their projects in a thoughtful and intimate light.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 15, 2022
4.5, rounded up.
Had I judged this from a 2022 perspective, I'd most probably rate it much lower, especially with the problematic, but inevitable, tragic ending - but seen in light of what it did way back in 1951 when it was first published, it's nothing short of astonishing - and should be much better known. As I only became aware of it through a notice in Variety that a film adaptation is in the works, I'd not have even heard of it. Perhaps when that is released, it will garner the book the audience it still merits.
After a somewhat slow start (much of the first third could be severely truncated with no deleterious effect), the novel attains a propulsive energy. Peters' prose is quite good, without being fussy or pretentious, and the psychological acuity of his characters is amazingly astute. This extends not only to protagonists Matthew and Michel, but to ALL of the subsidiary characters, with the three main female characters in particular nicely fleshed out.
Apparently the book was quite popular upon initial publication, despite its focus on an overtly (though never graphic/pruriently portrayed) sexual relationship between a fifteen year old American boy and his French physical education teacher, who is over twice his age. The details of the necessity of hiding this relationship to all and sundry, and the resultant damage it does to both their psyches, I would say is accurately rendered.
This edition comes with both an enlightening and near indispensable Introduction (which a note suggests should only be read after having read the book, since it contains many spoilers), and a revealing Appendix of biographical materials, both well worth reading. Fascinating that Peters' only other noteworthy writings all center on his position as designated heir-apparent to Russian mystic-philosopher George Gurdjieff. Highly recommended to those with a penchant for seminal historical LGBTQ+ novels, but also to anyone craving a cracking good read.
Had I judged this from a 2022 perspective, I'd most probably rate it much lower, especially with the problematic, but inevitable, tragic ending - but seen in light of what it did way back in 1951 when it was first published, it's nothing short of astonishing - and should be much better known. As I only became aware of it through a notice in Variety that a film adaptation is in the works, I'd not have even heard of it. Perhaps when that is released, it will garner the book the audience it still merits.
After a somewhat slow start (much of the first third could be severely truncated with no deleterious effect), the novel attains a propulsive energy. Peters' prose is quite good, without being fussy or pretentious, and the psychological acuity of his characters is amazingly astute. This extends not only to protagonists Matthew and Michel, but to ALL of the subsidiary characters, with the three main female characters in particular nicely fleshed out.
Apparently the book was quite popular upon initial publication, despite its focus on an overtly (though never graphic/pruriently portrayed) sexual relationship between a fifteen year old American boy and his French physical education teacher, who is over twice his age. The details of the necessity of hiding this relationship to all and sundry, and the resultant damage it does to both their psyches, I would say is accurately rendered.
This edition comes with both an enlightening and near indispensable Introduction (which a note suggests should only be read after having read the book, since it contains many spoilers), and a revealing Appendix of biographical materials, both well worth reading. Fascinating that Peters' only other noteworthy writings all center on his position as designated heir-apparent to Russian mystic-philosopher George Gurdjieff. Highly recommended to those with a penchant for seminal historical LGBTQ+ novels, but also to anyone craving a cracking good read.
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October 21, 2016Finistère was first published in 1951, three years after Gore Vidal’s The City and the Pillar. In many ways it’s a more daring novel. Matthew, our young hero, moves to France – the year is 1927 – with his mother following her divorce. At boarding school he begins a relationship, more sexual than romantic (though nothing too explicit), with a fellow pupil. Then, aged fifteen, he falls in love with Michel, a thirty-something PE teacher. Their intense affair is explored from both viewpoints – and also from the viewpoint of the mother and stepfather. When Matthew’s stepmother enters the story, she and the stepfather begin the process of ‘outing’ Matthew and precipitate a terrible climax. Happy endings seem to have been ruled out in these early gay novels, although in all fiction a tragic finale tends to have more resonance.
The implicit element of pederasty – a slightly lesser ‘sin (or crime) than paedophilia – is largely overlooked by the author. He presents the relationship between the teenager and his teacher as if it’s entirely natural (which it is, obviously) and even normal, which it very clearly is not. This must have been a ‘shocking’ story in the 1950s. It’s fairly shocking today.
The writing is sometimes a bit precious, a bit ‘twee’. Perhaps because of the French setting there’s a Proustian attention to details of setting and moments of introspection. Rapid switches of viewpoint, much frowned on by writing schools today, are always disconcerting for the reader. And of course it’s a bit dated, but the struggles of a teenager with his sexual identity are as relevant today as they were sixty years ago, and Matthew’s difficulties in coming to terms with divorce and step-parents are powerfully conveyed. Overall this is an elegant read and a story that engages the reader’s emotions.
The implicit element of pederasty – a slightly lesser ‘sin (or crime) than paedophilia – is largely overlooked by the author. He presents the relationship between the teenager and his teacher as if it’s entirely natural (which it is, obviously) and even normal, which it very clearly is not. This must have been a ‘shocking’ story in the 1950s. It’s fairly shocking today.
The writing is sometimes a bit precious, a bit ‘twee’. Perhaps because of the French setting there’s a Proustian attention to details of setting and moments of introspection. Rapid switches of viewpoint, much frowned on by writing schools today, are always disconcerting for the reader. And of course it’s a bit dated, but the struggles of a teenager with his sexual identity are as relevant today as they were sixty years ago, and Matthew’s difficulties in coming to terms with divorce and step-parents are powerfully conveyed. Overall this is an elegant read and a story that engages the reader’s emotions.
October 13, 2019
The book is described as a gay classic but although there are some very interesting elements to it, to me, it is too much a product of its time (the 1950's).
While overall reasonably positive in its presentation of homosexuality, the internalised homophobia, what we would today call slut-shaming, and the ending are all too dated.
Peters' conflicted view (which appears to be mirrored in his personal life - he went back in to the closet and got married for a while) seems to be that homosex when taking place within the limits of a monogamous relationship is perfectly fine and a source of happiness and growth to those involved. Casual sex is however clearly frowned upon and apparently the only real expression of homosexuality. Much cognitive dissonance ensues for our hero.
Gore Vidal, reviewing the story deems it to be about "the corruption and murder of innocence". It is interesting that, contrary to what one might expect from a story with the limitations mentioned above, the corruption and murder (SPOILER: Matthew, fairly predictably and sadly unsurprisingly, commits suicide at the very end) are effected not as a result of homosexual "perversion" but through the refusal by society (embodied by Matthew's relatives) to accept Matthew's sexual preferences.
Beyond this however there are also flaws in the structure of the book itself. Elements of the story are left unexplored or untold when they should have been. Notably Peters starts a whole story line with André only to completely abandon it once it has been established. We are also not told why Matthew (the hero) and his mother have to move to France from the US, an action that gives rise to the whole story.
Although perhaps understandable for the time, Peters feels the need to use ellipses at several points of his narrative. Unfortunately he does this a little clumsily, I thought,, creating too much uncertainty and confusion as to what actually takes place.
But Finistère remains a complex and well written novel worth a read both for enjoyment and as a document.
While overall reasonably positive in its presentation of homosexuality, the internalised homophobia, what we would today call slut-shaming, and the ending are all too dated.
Peters' conflicted view (which appears to be mirrored in his personal life - he went back in to the closet and got married for a while) seems to be that homosex when taking place within the limits of a monogamous relationship is perfectly fine and a source of happiness and growth to those involved. Casual sex is however clearly frowned upon and apparently the only real expression of homosexuality. Much cognitive dissonance ensues for our hero.
Gore Vidal, reviewing the story deems it to be about "the corruption and murder of innocence". It is interesting that, contrary to what one might expect from a story with the limitations mentioned above, the corruption and murder (SPOILER: Matthew, fairly predictably and sadly unsurprisingly, commits suicide at the very end) are effected not as a result of homosexual "perversion" but through the refusal by society (embodied by Matthew's relatives) to accept Matthew's sexual preferences.
Beyond this however there are also flaws in the structure of the book itself. Elements of the story are left unexplored or untold when they should have been. Notably Peters starts a whole story line with André only to completely abandon it once it has been established. We are also not told why Matthew (the hero) and his mother have to move to France from the US, an action that gives rise to the whole story.
Although perhaps understandable for the time, Peters feels the need to use ellipses at several points of his narrative. Unfortunately he does this a little clumsily, I thought,, creating too much uncertainty and confusion as to what actually takes place.
But Finistère remains a complex and well written novel worth a read both for enjoyment and as a document.
April 8, 2012
SPOILER ALERT!!!!
I loved the way this book was written. It really carried you into the story. I liked the details and the nuances of the story line. I took this book with me on vacation to read on the flight back. However, I was in my hotel room on a rainy day and could NOT put the book down. I had to force myself to save it for the flight home.
What I did not like was the ending. It was a typical "tragic" ending which is common for that era.
I loved the way this book was written. It really carried you into the story. I liked the details and the nuances of the story line. I took this book with me on vacation to read on the flight back. However, I was in my hotel room on a rainy day and could NOT put the book down. I had to force myself to save it for the flight home.
What I did not like was the ending. It was a typical "tragic" ending which is common for that era.
December 5, 2011
"Finistère" is a must-read for anyone interested in queer history and queer literature with its keen insights into gay love (and lust), intergenerational and intercultural (American-French) relationships in the first half of the 20th century. This edition has a fine introduction by Michael Bronski and splendid appendices by poet Edward Field about Fritz Peters himself.
August 12, 2010
Why, oh why didn't Douglas Sirk make a movie of this one?
June 30, 2023
I read this ages ago and in part I liked it, particularly for a novel published in 1951, I was delighted that so many of the characters were comfortable with their sexuality. They did not have a 'problem' society was the one with the problem. Clearly it was not in any way a portrait of a budding 'gay world' as we know it today, but still very good, very readable, and way better then so many of the angst ridden novels with queer characters torn apart by the fact they didn't want to have sex with women (I was tempted to be crude but resisted). What totally annoyed me, aside from the fact that the novel does drag a bit about three quarters of the way through, is the whole dramatic denouement with the inevitable suicide. Of course it could be read in a more metaphorical way implying the disappearance of self into something greater and more mystic and true as symbolised by the ocean washing away his foot prints. But I don't think that is how it was written or read at the time. Suicide was the established trope for queers in novels and would remain so for a long, long, time because to posit a happy ending was to challenge not simply the reality of the challenges of living as a queer/gay man but the prejudices and suppositions of even those who were 'liberal', 'tolerant' and sympathetic towards homosexuals. Fritz Peters in this novel, and in his life, was unable to make the leap and be unapologetic. It would take another twenty years of changing social conditions for most gay/queer men not simply to demand their rights but to do so without apology and without pride.
So for me the end of the novel was typical of its time and rather negated, I thought, all the good of the earlier parts of the book. Many others, particularly of my generation, have reported reading and loving this novel and finding it a very positive and uplifting story. I don't know if a younger generation would read the novel in the same way and I am not sure it can escape being anything more than a historical curiosity. Which is very harsh but there are writers and novels that can speak to us hundreds of years after they were written and the circumstances and societies that created them have disappeared. It is the difference between what is great and what is merely good or worthy and most importantly this is a novel that has a message and preaches. Didacticism of that sort is fatal for any work of art.
My final major dislike and gripe about this novel can be made about almost every early gay novel and even for many of the early post-Stonewall novels they are almost invariably set in very high middle to upper class milieus. One of the characters in this novel isn't but it is very much a rich boy with his bit of rough - a cliched trope as old as Foster's 'Maurice'*. The bit of rough is always sexually uninhibited and helps the repressed 'posh' boy to free himself of inhibitions. The challenge is were to go from there because, although rarely seen in this light, the real challenge is for the 'posh' boy to reconcile his sexuality and his social position and the impossibility of doing so is what leads to suicide in this and so many of the novels. That this idea of sexually liberated working class man as opposed to repressed upper class man was a convention utterly at variance with reality - anyone who attended or has read any memoirs about boys schools knows this. Fritz Peters attitude was complicated by his family background and years of involvement with that fraudulent mystic Gurdjieff.
I find the way so many gay novels, plays and stories throughout the 1950's, 60''s and 70' only dealt with a tiny selection of white, university educated, professional gay men as worthy of investigation tiresome (although novels like this one did provide more rounded and full portraits of their working class bed fellows) and limits my enjoyment when revisiting these 'classics'.
Maybe I am being unkind or even unfair to this novel and it is for that reason I am giving it four stars though really I think three-and-a-half would be more than generous. It probably deserves to be read again but honestly there are an awful lot of other books and authors I want to investigate first.
*Although unpublished at the time it was by far the best known unpublished novel amongst a certain class of gay man - in fact a visit to Foster and reading of or from the 'unpublished' novel was a almost a fixture on the post WWII grand tour of well off queer American men (pace Gore Vidal and many others).
So for me the end of the novel was typical of its time and rather negated, I thought, all the good of the earlier parts of the book. Many others, particularly of my generation, have reported reading and loving this novel and finding it a very positive and uplifting story. I don't know if a younger generation would read the novel in the same way and I am not sure it can escape being anything more than a historical curiosity. Which is very harsh but there are writers and novels that can speak to us hundreds of years after they were written and the circumstances and societies that created them have disappeared. It is the difference between what is great and what is merely good or worthy and most importantly this is a novel that has a message and preaches. Didacticism of that sort is fatal for any work of art.
My final major dislike and gripe about this novel can be made about almost every early gay novel and even for many of the early post-Stonewall novels they are almost invariably set in very high middle to upper class milieus. One of the characters in this novel isn't but it is very much a rich boy with his bit of rough - a cliched trope as old as Foster's 'Maurice'*. The bit of rough is always sexually uninhibited and helps the repressed 'posh' boy to free himself of inhibitions. The challenge is were to go from there because, although rarely seen in this light, the real challenge is for the 'posh' boy to reconcile his sexuality and his social position and the impossibility of doing so is what leads to suicide in this and so many of the novels. That this idea of sexually liberated working class man as opposed to repressed upper class man was a convention utterly at variance with reality - anyone who attended or has read any memoirs about boys schools knows this. Fritz Peters attitude was complicated by his family background and years of involvement with that fraudulent mystic Gurdjieff.
I find the way so many gay novels, plays and stories throughout the 1950's, 60''s and 70' only dealt with a tiny selection of white, university educated, professional gay men as worthy of investigation tiresome (although novels like this one did provide more rounded and full portraits of their working class bed fellows) and limits my enjoyment when revisiting these 'classics'.
Maybe I am being unkind or even unfair to this novel and it is for that reason I am giving it four stars though really I think three-and-a-half would be more than generous. It probably deserves to be read again but honestly there are an awful lot of other books and authors I want to investigate first.
*Although unpublished at the time it was by far the best known unpublished novel amongst a certain class of gay man - in fact a visit to Foster and reading of or from the 'unpublished' novel was a almost a fixture on the post WWII grand tour of well off queer American men (pace Gore Vidal and many others).
July 18, 2025
Honestly I liked this book even more after I finished it, went back and read the introduction, and had a comprehensive thought about what this meant for the gay community in the 1950s when it was written. First I want to say how important I think it is for queer readers to read historical (?) gay works to delineate the lines between queer generations and movements, we are all one in the same and your struggle is mine.
Really the only other prominent work I have read with an age gap is call me by your name where the gap it 17 and 24. I will stand by the importance of the age gap in this work and I get very frustrated when people say its unnecessary or dismiss the meaning due to its wrongness. The gap is essential to understanding the depth of Elio's feelings and the mechanics of their relationship. In this book, the gap is 15 and 30s which is far bigger. The introduction explains it in a couple different ways that made me really understand the meaning behind this decision, not only for that time period but how it affects as a whole. "Told repeatedly that homoerotic love and expression were morally and socially wrong, they welcomed stories that featured the idea that young men, really almost children, could contain and express homosexual desires. Who better than the innocent child, or pre-adult, to metaphorically symbolize the naturalness and the ingenuousness of homosexual desire." This was also written post World War 2 where in real life and in a lot of media, age gap relationships were very prominent especially with men. "While some critics claim Finistere is the betrayal of innocence, they are referring to the emotional betrayals Matthew experiences from family, friends, and lovers, not his sexual relationship with Michael." I think it's really important to not impose our own/current society's values and morality to works from the past, it can dismiss an entire genre of important and thoughtful work. Also let's be real, every gay male I know has had a sexual encounter with an older man, grindr exists, this concept has not changed.
Now to the content of the book, I was actually so sick of Michel. Literally a grown ass man with the emotional and mental stability of like a 6 year old. Matthew pulled that entire relationship. I got so sick of reading this imbalance of maturity and what it was doing to the emotional state of a young boy. I wish there has been more plot with Matthew and Adrien, just bc I thought their friendship was really sweet but in hindsight, I understand that that relationship was just a stepping stone to get to Michel. Near they end they started bringing up how Matthew might not have been attracted to older men like Scott or Michel if not for the divorce and ostrazation from his father. As Matthew sees it, "the idea that his love for his father could mean a decrease in his love for Michel was incomprehensible. Further, that his love for Michel was something he should have given to his father did not make any sense at all." Matthew has such an interesting view of the world that every other character in the book points out at some point. I am not sure if that is just how he is or if his inexperience caused him to have this "unusual" view of love. "Because he did not know or recognize the possibility that love is in any sense mortal, that it can die or fade; because his love for Michel had made him come to life and not buried, whatever doubts Matthew had had about himself and the world around him had been erased." Michel talks a lot about how Matthew doesn't understand the consequences that would come from their relationship being discovered. I recently read something that explains that because of how the brain develops, teenagers may understand the concept of risk, but they don't "feel" the consequences unless they experience them. The risk is hollow without any substance which makes the risk almost null. Matthew experienced the consequences at the end when all of these feelings were happening to him and he was in a situation where he wasn't able to express them to anyone. The consequence of the relationship was emotional separation from his loved ones. The consequence when they found out was he was disowned and all of the emotions from this rushed in at once, since they didn't exist before, which tragically lead him to committing suicide immediately.
Francoise was literally the only sane character. Without her, these stupid men wouldn't know shit. She saw things in the blink of an eye which meant that she had to explain the plot in depth for the men around her which was frustrating. I love how unlike everyone around her, she took marriage as this serious commitment instead of it being a logical step once you were in love. She thought about how it would affect the people around her, especially Matthew who would be so close to it. My love for her especially cemented when she was trying to persuade Scott to not lash out to Matthew when figuring out he was gay. " 'And you wonder why I hesitate to marry you,' she said, her voice tired and bitter. 'You love Matthew, you say, but rather than try to understand what has happened to him, rather than make any effort to help him, you only make the gesture that will satisfy your conscience.' " Scott's strong reaction to being told Matthew was gay was honestly surprising, even to Francoise, because it was fucking obvious that Matthew was obsessed and crushing on him the whole time, stupid ass fr.
Paul was fucking gross and a freak, period. At the end I was really hopeful that Catherine would be understanding and supportive of Matthew's sexuality and it was a real bummer that she wasn't. I had hope that she was deeper than she seemed. :/
Quote
-"How is it possible to be afraid of the person you love most in the world."
Really the only other prominent work I have read with an age gap is call me by your name where the gap it 17 and 24. I will stand by the importance of the age gap in this work and I get very frustrated when people say its unnecessary or dismiss the meaning due to its wrongness. The gap is essential to understanding the depth of Elio's feelings and the mechanics of their relationship. In this book, the gap is 15 and 30s which is far bigger. The introduction explains it in a couple different ways that made me really understand the meaning behind this decision, not only for that time period but how it affects as a whole. "Told repeatedly that homoerotic love and expression were morally and socially wrong, they welcomed stories that featured the idea that young men, really almost children, could contain and express homosexual desires. Who better than the innocent child, or pre-adult, to metaphorically symbolize the naturalness and the ingenuousness of homosexual desire." This was also written post World War 2 where in real life and in a lot of media, age gap relationships were very prominent especially with men. "While some critics claim Finistere is the betrayal of innocence, they are referring to the emotional betrayals Matthew experiences from family, friends, and lovers, not his sexual relationship with Michael." I think it's really important to not impose our own/current society's values and morality to works from the past, it can dismiss an entire genre of important and thoughtful work. Also let's be real, every gay male I know has had a sexual encounter with an older man, grindr exists, this concept has not changed.
Now to the content of the book, I was actually so sick of Michel. Literally a grown ass man with the emotional and mental stability of like a 6 year old. Matthew pulled that entire relationship. I got so sick of reading this imbalance of maturity and what it was doing to the emotional state of a young boy. I wish there has been more plot with Matthew and Adrien, just bc I thought their friendship was really sweet but in hindsight, I understand that that relationship was just a stepping stone to get to Michel. Near they end they started bringing up how Matthew might not have been attracted to older men like Scott or Michel if not for the divorce and ostrazation from his father. As Matthew sees it, "the idea that his love for his father could mean a decrease in his love for Michel was incomprehensible. Further, that his love for Michel was something he should have given to his father did not make any sense at all." Matthew has such an interesting view of the world that every other character in the book points out at some point. I am not sure if that is just how he is or if his inexperience caused him to have this "unusual" view of love. "Because he did not know or recognize the possibility that love is in any sense mortal, that it can die or fade; because his love for Michel had made him come to life and not buried, whatever doubts Matthew had had about himself and the world around him had been erased." Michel talks a lot about how Matthew doesn't understand the consequences that would come from their relationship being discovered. I recently read something that explains that because of how the brain develops, teenagers may understand the concept of risk, but they don't "feel" the consequences unless they experience them. The risk is hollow without any substance which makes the risk almost null. Matthew experienced the consequences at the end when all of these feelings were happening to him and he was in a situation where he wasn't able to express them to anyone. The consequence of the relationship was emotional separation from his loved ones. The consequence when they found out was he was disowned and all of the emotions from this rushed in at once, since they didn't exist before, which tragically lead him to committing suicide immediately.
Francoise was literally the only sane character. Without her, these stupid men wouldn't know shit. She saw things in the blink of an eye which meant that she had to explain the plot in depth for the men around her which was frustrating. I love how unlike everyone around her, she took marriage as this serious commitment instead of it being a logical step once you were in love. She thought about how it would affect the people around her, especially Matthew who would be so close to it. My love for her especially cemented when she was trying to persuade Scott to not lash out to Matthew when figuring out he was gay. " 'And you wonder why I hesitate to marry you,' she said, her voice tired and bitter. 'You love Matthew, you say, but rather than try to understand what has happened to him, rather than make any effort to help him, you only make the gesture that will satisfy your conscience.' " Scott's strong reaction to being told Matthew was gay was honestly surprising, even to Francoise, because it was fucking obvious that Matthew was obsessed and crushing on him the whole time, stupid ass fr.
Paul was fucking gross and a freak, period. At the end I was really hopeful that Catherine would be understanding and supportive of Matthew's sexuality and it was a real bummer that she wasn't. I had hope that she was deeper than she seemed. :/
Quote
-"How is it possible to be afraid of the person you love most in the world."
August 21, 2024
Good one. First picked it up bc it was touted as avoiding sorta tragic tropes that lgbt stuff can fall into… make no mistake: it’s tragic af. Not that tragedy is bad, just common in the quick fix esque gay books. You know? BUT where finestère is redeemed is in its laser accurate psychological element, reminiscent to honestly of the French classic psychological novels. Laser accurate, poignant, thrilling etc… sad, too. But in a way that makes sense? Is inevitable given the circumstances? Which are in themselves so seemingly accurate and necessary? Timeless as any other, this one is. :)
October 1, 2023
A beautifully written book about a young man's coming of age in the days before World War II. A child of divorce, Matthew longs for acceptance and love while attending a boarding school in France. While it reflects the attitude toward homosexuality prevalent in the 1950s, it is an important work by a nearly forgotten author.
March 24, 2016
Typical storyline and characters for this era of gay fiction. Lot more telling than showing. Unclear why Michel and Matthew actually live each other. Interesting attempts to build counter arguments against those who would deny gay people the freedom to be who we are, however.
August 17, 2014
An excellent book with a tragic ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 23, 2025
Gay themed novel from 1951 that takes place in the late 1920s. At the start of the story, I think the main character is 14 and he moves with his mother to France so she can get a divorce from her husband who is shacking up with another woman. The mother ends up marrying some sleaze ball and the boy goes to boarding school and ultimately falls in love with his gym teacher basically. I can't remember if he's 14 or 15 when the relationship starts but at the end of the book I think he's 16. They don't really say exactly how old the gym teacher is, but my guess was like 29 because when the boy was 15 there's a remark about how he's almost half the age of the teacher. This is one of those novels that in some ways feels more modern than you expect it to be. It's funny how often these European books and films have me googling age of consent laws. I guess somewhat surprisingly even in the late 1920s the age of consent in France was still age 13 so I suppose everything in this book was legal under that law. naturally it's still uncomfortable, especially because in contrast to Call Me by Your Name, the older love interest here is not very sympathetic for the most part. But I think you can have compassion for the character because so much of the book I think is about how impossible of a situation it is to be a homosexual in this world and ultimately the pain of that leads to cruelty among each other. at times I found the book annoying, especially in the second half, but by the end I found ultimately heartbreaking. every time I read one of these 20th century gay books, I just think about how young people today are so stupid about the past that they don't even understand that they don't understand anything about it at all. It's kind of cringe to be honest but what are you going to do. This book contains a scene of somebody running to a beach that made me think of the scene in film adaptation of Suddenly Last Summer in which Elizabeth Taylor is telling a story of how she ran and she ran. The other thing that's interesting I suppose is that this book was supposedly at least somewhat autobiographical and it's interesting to think about the life of the author. It makes me curious to read his other famous book about growing up in some cult with some Russian mystic or something.
April 21, 2024
Teenager Matthew Cameron moves to France with his mother while she sorts out her divorce. He immediately has to adapt himself to a new country, a new language and a new boarding school. Fortunately he negotiates all these obstacles with some success, helped along by the relationship he forms with a boy at school, and later, and much more importantly, with one of the masters. When Michel Garnier is employed as a tennis instructor it’s not long before the two are immediately attracted to each other and embark on a passionate affair. It’s a gay coming-of-age story, and one of the first to fully explore the issue. Set in the 1920s, although published in 1951, the book was somewhat of a trailblazer for gay literature, and is most likely autobiographical. It’s not just about homosexuality at that time and place, but also explores family relationships, especially between mother and son, parenting, divorce and its effects on children, class conflict and the clash of cultures. For Matthew it all becomes an often painful journey of self-discovery. I found the book insightful and empathetic, although the character of Matthew seemed occasionally too mature for his years – he’s only 15 when the relationship begins, and yet in many ways he’s the guiding force, in spite of the age difference between himself and Michel. Today we might feel more uncomfortable about this age gap – Michel is in his 30s – but in the context of the book the power seems to lie with Matthew. Until it doesn’t. It’s well-written and well-paced, and not at all sensational. The avoidance of graphic sex was a bonus for this reader. Although set in the 1920s, the issues are still pertinent in today’s society in spite of more liberal attitudes, and I found it a thought-provoking and thoughtful read. Good to see it back in print.
June 15, 2024
I firstly wish to commend the publisher Hirsch-Giovanni for reissuing this wonderful book by Fritz Peters, Finistere. I knew only of Peters through his memoirs on his time living and learning from the spiritual teacher Gurdjieff. I hadn’t realized that Peters had written a magnificent novel of an American adolescent’s coming of age with his French boarding school’s teacher. As pointed out in an informative introduction by Dr. Christopher Adams of the University of Southampton, Peters book here sold over 350,000 copies when first released, and was issued in 8 hardcover editions in Britain — no small feat for a relatively unknown writer! Although Finistere has been labeled as an early example of “homosexual literature”, for me, as a straight cis-male, I admired the honest and unadorned descriptions of the many characters inner lives as they encountered challenging and joyous experiences during this young man’s passage into love and sexual awakening. Peters sensitively portrays the tender and tumultuous emotional states of the main character, Matthew Cameron, as he navigates through his parents’ divorce, his doting mother’s neurotic self-absorption, his step-mother’s offerings of unencumbered love, and how he “falls in love” with his narcissistic teacher, suffering both ecstasy and a “fall from grace”. Peters’ ability to explore and bring out the tender and terrible inner life of a teenage boy is truly marvelous, taking the reader into a deeper caring for the character’s trials and tribulations. I admire Peters sensitive and thorough descriptive style, bringing the reader into the characters’ rich interiority, and opening a way towards compassionate empathy for these sad yet resilient characters.
I want to heartily recommend this lost gem of “coming of age” novel, suitable for both young and seasoned readers.
I want to heartily recommend this lost gem of “coming of age” novel, suitable for both young and seasoned readers.
June 14, 2024
Finistère is a beautifully written coming of age story that focuses on Matthew’s struggles associated with navigating life after his parent’s divorce in a new country and grappling with his budding sexual identity.
The book does challenge the modern reader with its main relationship between Michel, a French male fitness teacher, and Matthew his 15-year old boarding school student. The prologue helps to frame the reader’s understanding of the time in which the novel is set and was written. The prologue and Peters writing style provides the reader permission to experience the novel as it was intended with only some residual ick due to the age-gap which would roundly condemn the relationship as predatory if set in the present. Peters wisely centers the bulk of the perspective around its lead protagonist, Matthew, and the reader similarly to Michel, is drawn into his moody, angsty world to suffer its high highs and the low lows.
While some elements are naturally dated, in a country that continues to other individuals who are LGBTQ+, its themes of class, family, loneliness, love, and acceptance continue to be important. While it is unlikely I would have come to this novel without the Goodreads giveaway, I am happy to have had a chance to read an important and previously overlooked book in the queer literary cannon. I hope others give this book the opportunity it deserves to be rediscovered and enjoyed by a modern audience.
The book does challenge the modern reader with its main relationship between Michel, a French male fitness teacher, and Matthew his 15-year old boarding school student. The prologue helps to frame the reader’s understanding of the time in which the novel is set and was written. The prologue and Peters writing style provides the reader permission to experience the novel as it was intended with only some residual ick due to the age-gap which would roundly condemn the relationship as predatory if set in the present. Peters wisely centers the bulk of the perspective around its lead protagonist, Matthew, and the reader similarly to Michel, is drawn into his moody, angsty world to suffer its high highs and the low lows.
While some elements are naturally dated, in a country that continues to other individuals who are LGBTQ+, its themes of class, family, loneliness, love, and acceptance continue to be important. While it is unlikely I would have come to this novel without the Goodreads giveaway, I am happy to have had a chance to read an important and previously overlooked book in the queer literary cannon. I hope others give this book the opportunity it deserves to be rediscovered and enjoyed by a modern audience.
May 13, 2018
For some reason, in this particular mid-century gay book I didn’t resent the tragic ending (that it is a tragic story, by the way, was given away on the cover of my 1985 edition; so I don’t feel the need to begin the review with the ‘spoiler alert’ formula). For one thing, the ending fits the main character’s intense personality; besides, there is enough in the book to allow and even encourage the reading that tragedy is not the only possible destination to which gay relationships are headed, though one towards which they may well be steered by social hostility, lack of understanding, and a lover who can’t quite step up to the occasion. Matthew’s feelings and inner turmoil are convincingly portrayed. Michel, a few times, made me angry - but he too is realistic, precisely because he is so flawed, I’d say. The writing drags on a bit - it’s difficult to say why, but it doesn’t seem to flow as easily as it should. The 1985 edition is definitely a runner-up for ‘worst cover in a gay fiction book’. There’s so much that’s wrong with the cover, I don’t know where to begin...
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September 1, 2024Finistere by Fritz Peters, set in 1927 France, chronicles the forbidden love between Matthew, a young American student, and Michel, his tennis instructor. Peters weaves a complex narrative through multiple viewpoints, including Matthew's family members, culminating in a tragic denouement triggered by his stepmother's arrival and subsequent outing.
Originally published in 1951, this groundbreaking work is framed by Peters' insightful prologue, contextualizing both the story's setting and its revolutionary place in literary history. While some elements may challenge modern readers, the author's style invites us to experience the novel as it was intended, highlighting its astonishing impact during a less tolerant era.
This newly reprinted classic offers a compelling dive into early LGBTQIA2+ literature, appealing equally to queer history enthusiasts and historical fiction lovers. Finistere stands as a reminder of past struggles and societal progress while remaining a captivating read.
Originally published in 1951, this groundbreaking work is framed by Peters' insightful prologue, contextualizing both the story's setting and its revolutionary place in literary history. While some elements may challenge modern readers, the author's style invites us to experience the novel as it was intended, highlighting its astonishing impact during a less tolerant era.
This newly reprinted classic offers a compelling dive into early LGBTQIA2+ literature, appealing equally to queer history enthusiasts and historical fiction lovers. Finistere stands as a reminder of past struggles and societal progress while remaining a captivating read.
December 10, 2025
By the 1950’s mainstream books were being published that had gay themes. Finistere, published in 1951, is one of the earliest along with Baldwin’s Giovanni's Room (1956) and Vidal’s The City and the Pillar (1948 ). Unlike the later examples, Finistere faded away and has only been recently been republished. There’s a reason for that. It’ melodramatic and at times sentimental, and the author spends far more time explaining how his characters are instead of showing it. Still, it’s an interesting story (and much better than the similar Say My Name). There’s a certain “ick” factor with the relationship at the heart of the book--Matthew is 16 and his lover is in his late 20’s, but Peters does a pretty good job on not making too big a deal of that.
January 22, 2021
It gets the fourth star for its historical interest as an early, relatively gay positive coming of age novel (except for the ending, of course). It is a pretty remarkable example of liberation, daring and hope....until it isn't. Peters deserves recognition for his early exploration of the nuances of the. coming out novel.
Yet, the writing is far too precious and overwrought. He seems to be trying to be William James with the emotional psychoanalysis, but there just isn't enough there. The plot gets convoluted at times. The pederasty is under-explored, and, thankfully, the ending just rings too false.
A book to respect more than to enjoy.
Yet, the writing is far too precious and overwrought. He seems to be trying to be William James with the emotional psychoanalysis, but there just isn't enough there. The plot gets convoluted at times. The pederasty is under-explored, and, thankfully, the ending just rings too false.
A book to respect more than to enjoy.
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January 16, 2025Finistère. Finis-terre. Land’s End. Or better yet the end of innocence.
Exceptionally bold for its time (written in 1951) and somewhat outdated by today’s standards, favoured by Gore Vidal himself, remains a fascinating read - especially if one can look past the red flags in the main plot. Its appeal lies in the vivid narration and the meticulously crafted characters. The final chapters are truly captivating.
Exceptionally bold for its time (written in 1951) and somewhat outdated by today’s standards, favoured by Gore Vidal himself, remains a fascinating read - especially if one can look past the red flags in the main plot. Its appeal lies in the vivid narration and the meticulously crafted characters. The final chapters are truly captivating.
August 9, 2020
Hm, a very challenging book, and not for the reasons it thinks it’s challenging. Nevertheless, there’s something rather human about the way it’s all told that elevates it above a somewhat disturbing story of someone coming to conscious of their difference.
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August 22, 2020Rather poorly written-the the multiple perspectives offered just didn't add much to the story. We're introduced to too many characters that are ignored and who serve little relevance to the actual story (Andre, Francoise, even Scott). Overall, an extremely convoluted story.
March 17, 2022
Interesting book by Peters that focuses on very real and flawed characters that disappoint you in one way or another, as happens in life. The pivotal romantic relationship feels like the blueprint for Acimans 'Call Me By Your Name'
June 24, 2023
I liked the way this book was written and would give this book 4 or 5 stars, but I somewhat found Matt and Michel's age difference (15 vs 30+) off-putting.
I constantly had to imagine both of them being adults and equals (in my head), in order to be able to go through with it.
The storylines were interesting and the ending was tragic, yet somewhat interesting.
I was also (sadly) impressed by Matt's conversation with his mother in the last chapter, due to realizing all the misunderstandings between them and her different viewpoint and denial (prior to their conversation).
I constantly had to imagine both of them being adults and equals (in my head), in order to be able to go through with it.
The storylines were interesting and the ending was tragic, yet somewhat interesting.
I was also (sadly) impressed by Matt's conversation with his mother in the last chapter, due to realizing all the misunderstandings between them and her different viewpoint and denial (prior to their conversation).
June 12, 2019
Uh, don’t come here looking for a happy ending, but depressing as it is, it’s still a good book.
February 26, 2024
What an influential work in queer literature that was lightyears ahead of it's time. We've seen the 'kill your gays' trope persist through generations and it is so refreshing to see a meaningful work that depicted the lives of queer folks in a respectful and relatable manner. Can't believe this book was originally published in the 50's and that Peters' was left our of my queer classics education! A must read!
March 19, 2025
"Finistère" by Fritz Peters is a poignant and trailblazing novel, first published in 1951, that stands as a significant work in early gay literature. Set in the 1920s, it follows Matthew Cameron, a wealthy American teenager who relocates to France with his mother after his parents’ divorce. The story unfolds as a coming-of-age tale, tracing Matthew’s emotional and sexual awakening as he navigates a new country, a French boarding school, and complex relationships—most notably a forbidden romance with Michel Garnier, his older tennis instructor.
The novel has lyrical prose and portrays nuanced exploration of love, identity, and societal rejection. Peters crafts Matthew’s inner turmoil with sensitivity, capturing the exhilaration and vulnerability of his burgeoning sexuality. The relationship between Matthew and Michel is portrayed with a delicate balance of tenderness and tension, avoiding sensationalism while emphasizing the emotional stakes. Critics and readers alike praise the book’s refusal to treat the same-sex relationship as inherently tragic; instead, the tragedy stems from external forces—family disapproval, social hostility, and personal betrayal—culminating in a devastating yet fitting conclusion.
For its time, "Finistère" was groundbreaking, offering an unapologetic depiction of gay love that resonated widely. Some readers may find the age gap between Matthew (15-16) and Michel (in his late 20s or 30s) challenging, though the narrative frames Matthew as the emotional driver of the relationship, complicating power dynamics in a thought-provoking way. The pacing can feel slow initially, as Peters builds the world of Matthew’s fractured family and privileged yet isolating life, but this groundwork amplifies the impact of later events.
The writing occasionally drags, yet its earnestness and historical context outweighs this flaw. Enhanced by Michael Bronski’s insightful introduction and appendices by Edward Field in recent editions, the novel remains a compelling read—both a window into queer history and a timeless story of love’s struggles against a judgmental world.
The novel has lyrical prose and portrays nuanced exploration of love, identity, and societal rejection. Peters crafts Matthew’s inner turmoil with sensitivity, capturing the exhilaration and vulnerability of his burgeoning sexuality. The relationship between Matthew and Michel is portrayed with a delicate balance of tenderness and tension, avoiding sensationalism while emphasizing the emotional stakes. Critics and readers alike praise the book’s refusal to treat the same-sex relationship as inherently tragic; instead, the tragedy stems from external forces—family disapproval, social hostility, and personal betrayal—culminating in a devastating yet fitting conclusion.
For its time, "Finistère" was groundbreaking, offering an unapologetic depiction of gay love that resonated widely. Some readers may find the age gap between Matthew (15-16) and Michel (in his late 20s or 30s) challenging, though the narrative frames Matthew as the emotional driver of the relationship, complicating power dynamics in a thought-provoking way. The pacing can feel slow initially, as Peters builds the world of Matthew’s fractured family and privileged yet isolating life, but this groundwork amplifies the impact of later events.
The writing occasionally drags, yet its earnestness and historical context outweighs this flaw. Enhanced by Michael Bronski’s insightful introduction and appendices by Edward Field in recent editions, the novel remains a compelling read—both a window into queer history and a timeless story of love’s struggles against a judgmental world.
June 9, 2014
I was tempted to give this five stars, just because there's only one previous rating [3 stars] and I thought it might need to be balanced. But who does that.
I finished this last night and haven't fully processed it yet, but it's very... interesting. Especially since earlier this week I had a lengthy discussion with a friend about the film Stranger By The Lake, and especially since someone I went to high school with, not a friend, just [allegedly] confessed to falling in love with one of his 14-year old choir students. It puts things in perspective, I guess.
I finished this last night and haven't fully processed it yet, but it's very... interesting. Especially since earlier this week I had a lengthy discussion with a friend about the film Stranger By The Lake, and especially since someone I went to high school with, not a friend, just [allegedly] confessed to falling in love with one of his 14-year old choir students. It puts things in perspective, I guess.
June 25, 2024
Finistère is a gay classic that should honestly be talked about more than it is. The storyline was beautiful and well crafted. It was so easy to get lost in this book. I found it hard to put down. While the ending was tragic and possibly the strongest part of the book, it was also the most predictable. I highly recommend this novel!
Thank you BooksForwardPR for sending this copy my way!
Thank you BooksForwardPR for sending this copy my way!
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