A review by dukegregory
Lost Illusions by Honoré de Balzac

5.0

Many illusions have been lost. Too much to talk about. Probably my favorite novel on mass media and the relationship between art and capital. So digressive, encyclopedic, cynical, compassionate, perceptive, verbose, and just tons of fun. Reading it over the past month has been a consistent joy. I don't know how to describe the tempo of Balzac's prose and plotting, plodding yet swift. The ending is so wild. Everything ends and agonizes and then you find out what happens to everyone years into the future for a page, like a biopic fading to black. Also, may or may not actually end on a cliffhanger. Made me laugh.