Ursula (Ursule Mirouet) [Paperback]

Honore de Balzac (Author), Katharine Prescott Wormeley (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 25, 2006

"Ursula" (original French title "Ursule Mirouet," 1842) forms one part of "Scenes from Provincial Life," a series of novels-whose other major work is "Eugenie Grandet"-examining manners and morals in the French provinces. --- Among all the novels of Honore de Balzac (1799-1850), none depicts so penetratingly the small-mindedness, avarice, and envy of the provincial lower middle classes. In "Ursula", no limitations based on morality or decency will hold these people back in their effort to acquire wealth and influence. --- Along with Stendhal, Balzac is the most important French novelist of the first half of the nineteenth century, and a founder of the realistic novel in Europe. His principal work is the unfinished cycle "The Human Comedy" (French: "La Comedie Humaine," which includes "Scenes from Provincial Life"), in which he attempted, in more than 80 volumes, to depict the society of his time in its entirety.

Editorial Reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 204 pages
• Publisher: Mondial (August 25, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595690530
• ISBN-13: 978-1595690531
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #934,626 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars 'a remarkable tour de force', December 30, 2011

By 

sally tarbox (aylesbury bucks uk) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ursula (Paperback)

When elderly Dr Minoret settles in his family hometown along with a young female ward, Ursule, his vulture-like relatives are ever in the wings waiting to inherit. They grow to hate Ursule, convinced she is scheming to get 'their' money. Without giving too much away, there is a crime, a touch of the supernatural and a pair of starcrossed lovers.
It had me enthralled from page 1; I can see why Balzac considered it a 'remarkable tour de force'. The characters of the horrible relatives in particular are brilliantly drawn eg 'his face was one of those in which it is hard for the thoughtful observer to see any trace of a soul beneath the florid tints of gross, coarsening flesh'. Recommended.

12 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unusual (religious) Balzac, November 9, 2006

By 

U10025 "Reader" (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ursula (Ursule Mirouet) (Paperback)

I really enjoyed this novel, even though (or because?) Balzac shows himself here from a very religious side, which is usually not his thing. I highly recommend this book to all Balzac fans.