A Harlot High and Low (Penguin Classics) [Paperback]

Honoré de Balzac (Author), Rayner Heppenstall (Introduction)

Book Description

Series: Penguin Classics | Publication Date: December 30, 1970

Handsome would-be poet Lucien Chardon is poor and naive, but highly ambitious. Failing to make his name in his dull provincial hometown, he is taken up by a patroness, the captivating married woman Madame de Bargeton, and prepares to forge his way in the glamorous beau monde of Paris. But Lucien has entered a world far more dangerous than he realized, as Madame de Bargeton's reputation becomes compromised and the fickle, venomous denizens of the courts and salons conspire to keep him out of their ranks. Lucien eventually learns that, wherever he goes, talent counts for nothing in comparison to money, intrigue and unscrupulousness. "Lost Illusions" is one of the greatest novels in the rich procession of the Comedie humaine, Balzac's panoramic social and moral history of his times.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, French (translation)

About the Author

Balzac was born in 1799, the son of a civil servant. At the age of thirty - heavily in debt and with an unsucessful past behind him - he started work on the first of what were to become a total of ninety novels and short stories that make up The Human Comedy. He died in 1850.

Product Details

• Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics; First edition & printing in this form edition (December 30, 1970)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140442324
• ISBN-13: 978-0140442328
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #798,417 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars destruction more deserved, and more enjoyable than usual, January 30, 2002

By 

Robert J. Crawford (Balmette Talloires, France) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Harlot High and Low (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

I just had to find out what happened to Lucien, when he was so mysteriously (and admittedly, a bit too miraculously) saved from suicide at the end of Illusions Perdues. This is the place to find it.

The interesting thing is that Lucien is not the principal player here: it is an equally mysterious mentor, whose identity and methods are revealed as the plot thickens. Another character is the "harlot" from the title in English, which misconstrues the character of the novel. She is Esther, who is Lucien's true love, whom he uplifts from prostitution to install as his secret mistress. There is also Nucingen, the Jewish banker whom Balzac despises (from the novel of the same name), and several wily spies.

I must say that, though I love Balzac, this novel wore a bit thin on me: it has too many unlikely coincidences and is crowned with a cynicism in the surprise ending that stretched way beyond what I could believe, even when taking into account the French judicial system. That being said, Balzac offers a wonderful tour of the underbelly of the life of the scheming courtesan: without revealing too much of the plot, having given up on art, Lucien is trying to enter the aristocracy as a diplomat with the rank of Marquise. But to do so, he had to marry the right woman, buy his ancestral grounds, and somehow pose as a dandy when he is in fact flat broke. One pole of the plot revolves around the maneuvering of his mentor, who proves himself exceptionally cunning, the other around Lucien's true love. Needless to say, there are betrayals, hidden enemies, and ruthless manipulations that destroy oh-so-many lives. In the end, it is mostly sad, except for...well, you have to read it to believe it! The view of the aristocracy in this one is rather oblique as they play behind the scenes, while I expected them to play center stage.

If there is one thing to sum up Balzac, it could be this: there is one chapter entitled, "boring chapter to explain four years of happiness" in which Lucien in love is portrayed. When I told my wife that it was winding down, she replied: "don't you mean it is grinding down?"

As usual, you need a strong stomach for this one. I got bored by the middle, at the height of all the unbearably sleazy maneuvering, but the last 200 pages really picked up the pace. To wit: I enjoyed the characters hurtling toward destruction in this one, which is usually the opposite: I prefer their hopes and hate their falls, except in the case of Lucien.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A convoluted intrigue in 19th century Paris., June 12, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: A Harlot High and Low (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

This book chronicling the lives of an up and coming minor noble, a harlot, and a "faux" priest/arch-criminal has some of the best character development I have seen. The plot is so convoluted and strange that it seems implausible. However, stranger things have happened! I was disappointed in the ending but still enjoyed the book

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some great moments, July 24, 2005

By 

Paul M. Burns (austin, tx) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Harlot High and Low (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

I must admit it is not as good overall as Lost Illusions, but this book is worth reading. It is like a twisted version of Les Miserables. There are some sublime moments late in the novel. It is a bit slow in parts of the book, but I found it worthwhile.