Lost Illusions
Start Publishing LLC · Hardcover · November 1, 2012
The story of Lucien Chardon, a young poet from Angoulême who tries desperately to make a name for himself in Paris, is a brilliantly realistic and boldly satirical portrait of provincial manners and aristocratic life.
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- Who it’s for
- Balzac pairs social satire with a keen portrait of literary ambition and Parisian life.
- Genres
- The Classics, Satire, Literary Fiction
- Published
- Start Publishing LLC, November 1, 2012
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Start with this bookAbout this book
The story of Lucien Chardon, a young poet from Angoulême who tries desperately to make a name for himself in Paris, is a brilliantly realistic and boldly satirical portrait of provincial manners and aristocratic life. Handsome and ambitious but naïve, Lucien is patronized by the beau monde as represented by Madame de Bargeton and her cousin, the formidable Marquise d'Espard, only to be duped by them.
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Denied the social rank he thought would be his, Lucien discards his poetic aspirations and turns to hack journalism; his descent into Parisian low life ultimately leads to his own death.
Ambition Under Scrutiny
Balzac pairs social satire with a keen portrait of literary ambition and Parisian life.
Come here for
- Satire of provincial manners and aristocratic life
- A literary classic with an unsparing eye for social ambition
Expect
- A sharply realistic view of manners and rank
- An increasingly dark turn from poetry toward hack journalism
Where it sits
| Satire | 64% |
|---|---|
| Literary Fiction | 48% |
| The Classics | 38% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- The Classics
- Literary Fiction
- Authors
- Honore De Balzac, Honoré de Balzac
- Publisher
- Start Publishing LLC
- Published
- November 1, 2012
- Format
- Hardcover
- Reading lane
- The Classics