themartinipolice 's review for:

Pere Goriot by Honoré de Balzac

4.25

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Set in a boarding house for low income people in Paris, Father Goriot ,a retired merchant , sacrifices everything for his two daughters but is ultimately heartbroken by their selfishness. The novel focus on  human selfishness, social class disparities, and the disintegration of family ties, while masterfully portraying how money corrupts people. Balzac’s writing is, as always, detailed yet remarkably fluid.