A review by spoetnik
The Red and the Black by Stendhal

adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A masterful novel on a variety of topics and themes, most notably the passion of love, the intrinsic human search for power, the hierarchy and historical context of the French restoration and the immense schism between the classes of 19th century French society. Distancing himself from his contemporaries, Stendhal mixes romantic elements with an unprecedented level of realism. The book is often described as the first psychological novel. I would have given it 5 stars had it not been for the excessively passionate characters which seemed rather fictional to me, despite Stendhal's focus on writing 'truthful prose'. Nevertheless, the book is filled to the brim with absolutely beautifully written passages, witty philosophical aphorisms and fun references to different iconic texts.