Cousin Bette by Honoré de Balzac
"Cousin Bette" is a novel set in mid-19th century Paris, focusing on the lives of the Hulot family and their cousin, Bette, an old maid who harbors a deep resentment towards her relatives due to their wealth and social status. When Bette learns that her cousin's husband is having an affair, she decides to exact revenge by manipulating various characters and situations, leading to the downfall of the Hulot family. The novel explores themes of jealousy, revenge, and the destructive power of repressed feelings.
The 490th greatest book of all time
- Published
- 1846
- Nationality
- French
- Type
- Fiction
- Pages
- 300-500
- Words
- 203,751
- Original Language
- French
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This book is on the following lists:
- 92nd on The Top 10: The Greatest Books of All Time (The Top 10 (Book))
- 734th on Our Users' Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- The Bigger Read List (English PEN)
- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon (The Western Canon (Book) by Harold Bloom)
- William H. F. Lamont’s 100 Best Novels (1947) (archive.org)
- Great Books of the Western World (Great Books Foundation)
- One Hundred Best Books (1916) (John Cowper Powys)
- Finest Works of Fiction (Martin Seymour-Smith and Editors)