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Lost IllusionsHonoré de Balzac

Lost Illusions

by OpenStories

Original author: Honoré de Balzac

CompletedPublished Updated

"Lost Illusions" by Honoré de Balzac is a serial novel written between 1837 and 1843. Young Lucien Chardon leaves provincial France for Paris, driven by ambition and literary dreams. In the capital's glittering but treacherous world of journalism and high society, he faces impossible choices between artistic integrity and success. As he becomes entangled with actresses, journalists, and aristocrats, Lucien discovers that talent alone cannot protect him from betrayal, corruption, and his own desperate compromises. His journey exposes the harsh realities behind literary fame and social climbing.

Lost Illusions, by Honoré de Balzac. Republished by OpenStories from Project Gutenberg eBook #13159.

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  • 30chapters
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30 Chapters

  1. 1.Introduction (1)8,789 words
  2. 2.Introduction (2)8,765 words
  3. 3.Introduction (3)8,646 words
  4. 4.Introduction (4)8,837 words
  5. 5.Introduction (5)8,792 words
  6. 6.Introduction (6)8,810 words
  7. 7.Introduction (7)4,182 words
  8. 8.Part I (1)8,847 words
  9. 9.Part I (2)8,689 words
  10. 10.Part I (3)8,854 words
  11. 11.Part I (4)8,620 words
  12. 12.Part I (5)4,903 words
  13. 13.Part II (1)8,755 words
  14. 14.Part II (2)8,501 words
  15. 15.Part II (3)8,759 words
  1. 16.Part II (4)8,761 words
  2. 17.Part II (5)8,837 words
  3. 18.Part II (6)8,810 words
  4. 19.Part II (7)8,812 words
  5. 20.Part II (8)8,817 words
  6. 21.Part II (9)8,359 words
  7. 22.Part II (10)8,743 words
  8. 23.Part II (11)8,697 words
  9. 24.Part II (12)8,756 words
  10. 25.Part II (13)8,783 words
  11. 26.Part II (14)8,619 words
  12. 27.Part II (15)8,545 words
  13. 28.Part II (16)8,839 words
  14. 29.Part II (17)8,794 words
  15. 30.Part II (18)852 words