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Best Realist Books

December 2024

Madame Bovary

Flaubert’s masterpiece paints a vivid portrait of Emma Bovary, a passionate woman trapped in a stifling provincial life. Through exquisite prose, we follow her desperate pursuit of romance and excitement, leading to a spiral of infidelity and debt. The novel’s unflinching exploration of desire and disillusionment shocked 19th-century readers, but its psychological depth and social commentary continue to resonate. A timeless tale of yearning and consequences that still feels startlingly modern.