Gobseck

"Gobseck" by Honoré de Balzac is a novel set in 19th-century Paris that explores the corrupting influence of wealth and power, as told through the eyes of a young lawyer named Derville. The story unfolds as Derville recounts his experiences with Gobseck, a cunning usurer whose life embodies the story’s central themes of moral decline and societal tension. The book sets off within the Vicomtesse de Grandlieu's salon, where conversations touch on family and societal pressures related to wealth and standing. Derville’s storytelling opens up Gobseck's world, examining themes of human ambition, social dynamics, and the dark sides of human nature intertwined with the pursuit of money.