#Classic Balzac “Le colonel Chabert”

by Honoré de Balzac

Finish date: 20.03.2026
Genre: novella (128 pg)
Rating: A
#French Reading Challenge

Good news:
Blazac’s hidden gem with a structure similar to a 3 act play.
128 pages novella, that is very easy to read
… that introduces us to the tragic story “Le colonel Chabert”.
The first few pages…oh, just get through them… (legal clerks joking around).
Once the legal case is explained and Chabert’s backstory
you are all set for a great read.
Part 1: legal case (the set up) Part 2: The Deal, Part 3 Flash forward/epilogue

Personal:
Core message:
Balzac is known for his sharp analysis of society (France 1815-1830) Restoration.
The final scene of Le Colonel Chabert leaves us with a sense of outrage and sadness. We have to recognize the suffering of those who are invisible (Le colonel Chabert) and to question the systems (legal) that allow such suffering to continue.
Next book in “La Comédie Humaine?”

La Rabouilleuse (The Black Sheep)

1. A tragic family saga about inheritance, jealousy, and the destructive power of money.
2. It’s a sweeping, a Shakespearean drama…and very long!