Catherine de' Medici by Honore de Balzac (1846, A Novel, A Component of the Human Comedy)

My Posts on Balzac

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Stefan Zweig and Eric Auerbach both felt that Balzac's work on the aristocrats of France was secondary to his work on ordinary contemporary people.  Balzac nearly worshipped the nobility and this shows in his work.   Catherine de' Medici was first published in three parts and published as a whole in 1846.  It is considered very much modeled on the work of Sir Walter Scott.

Catherine de' Medici lived from 1519 to 1589.  As the wife of King Henry II she was queen of France from 1547 to 1555.  The novel is close to a biography in format.  

Over all I see no reason for most to read this book.  

Ambrosia Boussweau