An elegantly written parable on greed, 6 April 2006

By	A. Gordon "annettego" (London) - See all my reviews

Balzac is an extremely clever writer with a very acute understanding of human nature and a genius for swiftly drawing characters that are fully realised and complex. I don't think he is a heavy or a difficult read, he's precise and he doesn't preach. Description of places and people is concise but richly evocative, at the same time the story shoots along dynamically, you want to know what will happen in the end. An extremely rewarding read and a near perfect example of the art of the novel.

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Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it, 13 May 1999

Very long and detailed descriptions of character and setting make it a typical period piece. in fact much of the descriptive is lost in its translation from French, but that is no reason not to enjoy the book.

The story revolves around 'Eugene' a student and his involvement with two worlds, the world of his rather shabby boarding house and the world of Paris Society in the early nineteenth century.

Balzac explores how these worlds are fatally intermingled, but yet disparate, in the fortunes of Eugene.

Unlike the modern suspense writers one is never quite sure what will happen at the end, the mastery of plot is superb and the end is both tragic and fulfilling.

Read it in French if you can, but make sure you read it

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