I recently picked up Cousin Bette because I had heard lots of praise for Balzac, and wanted to see what it was all about. When I got home, I found out that this book is one of the last books in a 50+ book series. Is Cousin Bette worth reading without having read any of La Comedie Humaine, or do I have to read all of the preceding books in the series to understand it?
by 12345BroccoliGod
1 Comment
The story is self-contained and doesn’t require prior knowledge of Balzac’s other works.
However, “La Comédie Humaine” has many interconnected characters and rich theme, so reading other works in the series could provide additional context and depth.