A Harlot High and Low

Honoré de Balzac · 1799–1850 · France

Originally Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes (French)

Why it matters

Lost Illusions' Lucien returns, entangled with a courtesan and a sinister cleric-confessor whose true influence over Lucien runs far deeper than either admits, as Balzac plunges into Parisian vice, police, and prisons at his most sprawling and sinister: the underworld sequel that outdoes the original's ambition.

At a glance

Sprawling cast, criminal argot, and dense plotting make it Balzac's longest, most demanding underworld novel.