Cousin Bette by Honore de Balzac

This novel is set in Paris after the fall of Napoleon and the restoration of a modified monarchy. The time period is often referred to as the July Monarchy. It was a time of unbridled greed and corruption as well as opportunity as a wealthy merchant class continued to consolidate money and political power. Cousin Bette tells the story of a family, the Hulots, who are led down a path of dissolution to ultimate ruin both finacially and morally. The key figure in this downward spiral is the patriarch Henri Hurlot. Cousin Bette (for whom the novel is titled) is a poor relation to this family. She has been thwarted in life by the more well-off members of the extended family and when her young protegee is seduced away she is filled with hatred and longs for revenge. Alors, the plot is woven from this premise. The novel is filled with characters because it is part of a larger piece of work called The Human Comedy in which characters have repeated appearances. This is considered an important innovation on the part of Balzac. The novel is lively and easy to read, seeming more modern than its' publishing year (1846) would indicate. It is loaded with witty sayings and moves quickly. It portrays people being both despicable and surprisingly kind but deceit and betrayal rule the day. I actually found a lot of the depiction of debt and corrupt banking practices to be very timely. It has inspired me to read more of Balzac.