Mademoiselle de Maupin, Volume 1 (of 2)

"Mademoiselle de Maupin, Volume 1 (of 2)" by Théophile Gautier is a story set in the 1800s about finding yourself, love, and standing up to rules made by society. It follows Madeleine de Maupin, a brave woman on a quest for excitement and independence during a time when women didn't have much freedom. The story sets the stage with a narrator who feels stuck in their boring life, wanting something more exciting. The narrator thinks about how unhappy they are compared to their servant, who has seen the world but doesn't appreciate it. The start of the novel makes you think about what it means to want more from life and to be free from the normal expectations of society.