1887
Fortunata and Jacinta
Benito Pérez Galdós · 1843–1920 · Spain
Originally Fortunata y Jacinta (Spanish)
Why it matters
A wife and a mistress, bound to the same faithless man, anchor a panoramic portrait of Madrid across every social class. Spain's answer to Balzac and Tolstoy, encyclopedic in ambition and remarkably even-handed in sympathy.
At a glance
family sagaromance
Difficulty 6/10medium pace1000 pagesPanoramic cast and Madrid-wide social detail across a very long novel.
Deep dive
Which of two women — the lawful wife or the disgraced mistress — the novel quietly argues is the truer spouse, and how Galdós's camera-eye realism refuses to let either side of Madrid's class divide win the argument outright.
Where to go next
Benito Pérez Galdós · 1876Doña PerfectaLvl 4Medium pace
Honoré de Balzac · 1835Père GoriotLvl 4Medium pace
Émile Zola · 1885GerminalLvl 5Medium pace
Gustave Flaubert · 1857Madame BovaryLvl 5Slow burn
Marcel Proust · 1913Swann's WayLvl 8Slow burn
Camilo José Cela · 1942The Family of Pascual DuarteLvl 4Medium pace