Princess of Cleves cover

Princess of Cleves

by Madame de La Fayette

"Poised between the fading world of chivalric romance and a new psychological realism, Madame de Lafayette's novel of passion and self-deception marks a turning-point in the history of the novel. When it first appeared--anonymously--in 1678 in the heyday of French classicism, it aroused fierce controversy among critics and readers, in particular for the extraordinary confession which forms the climax of the story. Having long been considered a classic, it is now regarded as a landmark in the history of women's writing." "In this new translation, The Princesse de Cleves is accompanied by two shorter works also attributed to Madame de Lafayette, The Princesse de Montpensier and The Comtesse de Tende. Book jacket."--Jacket.

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?