Read this when
The Princess of Clèves
She fell for someone else. She told her husband. She still didn't choose the other guy. 17th-century France was complicated. 💌
Who it's for
The novel is almost entirely inner life: a young wife watching herself fall for another man, analyzing each glance and each lapse, and trying to stay honest.
Feelings it meets
What it is
A novel by Madame de La Fayette, published anonymously in 1678 and set at the 16th-century court of Henry II of France; it is often called France's first historical novel and an early psychological novel. A young, virtuous wife, the Princess of Clèves, enters court life and finds herself passionately drawn to a young nobleman.
Where to find it
Public domain in the US in older translations (e.g., the 19th-century translation on Wikisource); Robin Buss's Penguin translation is in copyright, in print and in libraries (Libby/Hoopla); audiobooks.
Before you start
Heads up: Death of a spouse from illness.
Age: Ages 14+
Out, damned spot! out, I say!William Shakespeare, Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 1
