Used book – La Princesse de Clèves, Madame de La Fayette

The story of a noble soul, the intermittent stirrings of a woman's heart, the confusion of feelings, the painful struggles between heart and reason, morality and desire – all speak to the passion that sweeps away and devastates two beings trapped by their circumstances at the court of King Henry II.

Through the impossible love between the Princess of Clèves and the Duke of Nemours, Madame de Lafayette revealed the resources of the novel, and, amidst the faint rustle of court dresses, paved the way for the most audacious psychological analysis.