Cousin Bette

De: Honoré de Balzac

Narrado por: Johanna Ward

The Bette referred to in this magnificent novel's title is Lisbeth Fischer, an excruciatingly cunning poor relation who both depends upon and nurses a terrible grudge against the family of her beautiful cousin, Adeline. That family is slowly being ruined by the uncontrollable sexual appetites of Adeline's husband, Baron Hulot - appetites that will, in time, give Cousin Bette opportunity to exact her vengeance.

Balzac described Cousin Bette as one of his "scenes of Parisian life", and it is certainly that. It offers us a hypnotic vision of that infinitely varied city during the bright, vital, scandalous, and sexually untrammeled era of King Louis-Philippe. The courtesans, swindlers, bankers, artists, murderers, detectives, and saints populating this world pass before us invested with a verve and vividness unsurpassed in the history of the novel.

(P)1999 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Doing justice to Balzac

Johanna Ward reads this book beautifully! She clearly has excellent control of both French and English and it shows! Thanks!

a bit sad

I wanted to read this book because I loved the movie. I am sorely disappointed.

I can see why Karl Marx loved Balzac now...

"I have learned more than from all the professed historians, economists, and statisticians of the period together," said Karl Marx of his reading of Balzac. And it's not hard to see why! Cousin Bette, at any rate, is an excellent work and I'm glad I finally made my way to reading one of Balzac's novels. But good lord--these novels are not for the squeamish! The depiction of the degeneracy of the bourgeoisie in this novel is astonishing for its cynicism. Having just gone through a period of reading to P.G. Wodehouse and Angela Thirkell I have definitely gone from the light geniuses to a dark one! Still, the novel is brilliant and you would not regret reading such a minutely-drawn chronicle of Paris in the 1830s and 40s.

Vendetta, 'Cross and Double Cross'; very relevant

First Balzac novel I've read. Thought it was WONDERFUL!
A tale of vindictiveness and revenge - played within and without family dynamics.

Balzac has a very fine (interesting) narrative tone - and his commentary on society is usually 'spot on' - after considering when it was published ~1846.

Story of a 'Poor Cousin' - who was always subservient to the larger family - they befriend her - she 'befriends' them; while plotting their downplay. Cross-Double Cross-Triple Cross.

Balzac's social commentary just as relevant now as when it was written.

Balzac's social commentary is "on a par" with that of Edith Wharton (Custom of the Country, House of Mirth and Age of Innocence)....

Highly recommended.

Carl Gallozzi
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A true masterpiece!!

I have found a new favorite author! My first Balzac work. Absolutely loved it! What a titan of thought! And Kate Reading is superb, as always.

Classical Realism

A pretty good novel. Balzac draws a picture of the Paris of the 1800's with much accuracy and detail. Characters you love and others you hate.
You really got to put the 1800's chip on, because women's treatment, attitude, etc , does exasperate quite a bit.
And the reader, great!

wow, were women ever this stupid?

I can't imagine any woman letting this happen for to their family. it is a great story for showing stupidity.

Thoroughly enjoyable

Great story that feels immediate, even though the world has changed. People always want more sex, security and power. Universal.

Classic, Poetic and Funny

It never fails me how even translated from French this. book flows poetically. The twists and turns of this story keep the reader on his toes. Another great narrator also.

listened to several times good reader

I had to listen a couple times this book is very good has hidden secrets. you have to keep up with the characters attitude, timing, literally and references to illuminati. God and refusal of God. suffering of man along with all characters vices, folly, the view of a poor and rich social classes quite interesting because it was how realistic life was not very long ago. and how some of it doesn't change. faith hope and charity were actually adopted children of a pedophile and it makes references and statements of realities that time in history. maybe written a long time ago but not irreverent to now and day culture as there are still sugar daddies in society. Valerie takes the lead role very funny i burst out in laughter a couple times. a memorial book definitely makes you think about life and what you want it to be afterwards.