Set in the mid 1800’s in the villages and cathedral city of Rouen in Normandy, Madame Bovary is 311 pages of drama.

Young Emma Rouault lives with her widowed father on his farm and attends the convent, where she is as good as gold; always punctual, attends to her lessons and plans to become a nun. Then she takes to reading what Jane Austen calls ‘horrid novels’ and like Catherine Morland is enthralled by oaken chests, guardrooms, and all things historical. Mary Queen of Scots is her idol and Walter Scott her guide to life.

Oh but she’s, bored, bored, bored, to tears; so when the local doctor asks for her hand in marriage she accepts; anything must be better than this?

The social epic that follows the lives of convict Jean Valjean, and his search for redemption; the dogged police inspector Javert; the tragedy of Fantine and her daughter Cosette, and Marius Pontmercy and the bravery of the students on the barricades. All these individual stories are linked with the cruel Thénardiers, the shadowy sprite Éponine and Hugo’s own artful dodger, Gavroche.

First published in 1862, the action begins in 1815 when Jean Valjean is released from prison, and follows his story until 1833. The narrative moves backwards and forwards with time as it explains different characters’ backstories, as well as key points in history; and also allows the narrator to express his concerns for the present day and talk (at some length!) about the uprising of 1848.

It’s 1813 when Monsieur Goriot retires from his business as a vermicelli merchant and moves into a first floor apartment in Madame Vauquer’s boarding house. Dressed in a cornflower blue coat, he unpacks eighteen fine Dutch linen shirts which he wears with two pins at the front, each set with a large diamond. Gold snuff boxes and armoires full of household silver dazzle Madame Vauquer as she takes note of his hefty income and sets her sights on becoming Madame Goriot.

But the story is set in 1819, the Bourbon monarchy has been restored and the aristocracy have returned to Paris along with a new wealthy bourgeoisie, he two social sets using and adapting any rules to hang on to social status and wealth. Goriot of course, is a part of the newly wealthy but elderly and without social connections his life becomes about his daughters, who have managed to rise in society through their marriages. Anastasie is now the Comtesse de Restaud and Delphine, Madame de Nucingen after marrying a savvy banker.

Goriot meanwhile, has become a shuffling victim of ridicule in the boarding house. Now simply called Père Goriot he’s moved from his first floor apartment to a much cheaper one on the third floor; through melting down and selling his possessions he’s able to pay off his daughters’ (and their lovers’) debts, while he is only allowed to see them in secret or by catching an illicit glimpse as he follows them, as they go about Paris.

Eugène de Rastignac is a young impoverished law student who also has a room on the third floor. He sees the relationship between Goriot and his daughters and is aghast; to him Père Goriot is a saint and the two become friends. But the story really begins when Rastignac meets and falls in love with Delphine, they become lovers but what he really needs to win her is money and status.