Olivia

Set in the late 1800s, a period when finishing schools shaped social mobility for young women. Propriety and external appearances dominate daily life, even as private feelings run deep. The era’s strict gender norms frame Olivia’s longing and the tension between authority figures. The setting reflects the transition between rigid tradition and growing emotional openness.

The story centers on a French finishing school where Olivia finds a more welcoming environment than her prior English boarding school. The campus includes classrooms, ballrooms, and social spaces where rivalries form around the headmistress and the resident teachers. A day trip to Paris brings Olivia into closer contact with new sights and emotions, highlighting the contrast between English restrictions and French social life.

💘 Forbidden Love

Olivia’s growing attraction to Mlle Julie defies the conventional boundaries of teacher and pupil. The romance unfolds with secrecy and emotional intensity, challenging the expectations of propriety in a girls’ school. The narrative uses this love as a catalyst for Olivia’s personal awakening, even as it risks social and moral consequences.

🗝️ Power & Jealousy

Mlle Cara’s controlling presence and jealousy over Julie create a tense power dynamic within the school. The two headmistresses embody competing visions of care and authority, which affects the students’ loyalties. Jealousy drives conflicts that threaten the fragile harmony of the finishing school.

🌸 Coming of Age

Olivia’s experiences push her from innocence toward emotional adulthood, exposed to love, loss, and heartbreak. The school acts as a pressure chamber where desires are tested against rules and social expectations. The ending suggests a transition beyond the school’s walls, hinting at a broader future for Olivia.