The Black Sheep (The Human Comedy)

I am fairly new to reading Balzac, and was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I became engrossed in the story. Balzac is a wonderful writer. His characters really come to life, and I became very attached to them, and didn't want the story to end. He touches on the best and worst qualities in people, and while I found I could really relate to his depiction of how "the majority" of people act, his heroes and heroines in the story are people you really grow to like and admire very deeply. And, the story takes some twists which were very unexpected. I loved this book!! What more can I say?

You're probably under the impression that crime doesn't pay. Allow Balzac to disabuse you of that notion. In "The Black Sheep," murder, ruthless ambition, exploitation of vulnerable geezers, and neglect of one's parents pay off quite handsomely. True, most of the villains eventually receive their comeuppance, but a major theme of the novel seems to be that as long as a person is wealthy, good-looking, and/or socially well-connected, the world is content to remain oblivious to his or her moral failings. The world respects power, money, and good looks, rather inexplicably associating these qualities with virtue. Conversely, the world is likely to attribute evil motives to those with the misfortune of being poor, powerless, and not particularly attractive. Balzac's most devastating conclusion is that even one's family members are swayed by outward appearances rather than inner worth: a mother will love her handsome, successful son more than her ugly, struggling son even if the former owes his success to dubious practices and ignores said mother while the latter is an honest person and a paragon of filial devotion.The plot of this novel is complicated because there are multiple villains and each is busily hatching intricate schemes for self-advancement. Furthermore, each villain is attempting to undermine the other villains, so the web o' turpitude grows ever more dense as the story progresses.I would classify this novel as historical fiction because so much of the plot requires an understanding of the political situation of the period. Most of the story is set in post-Napoleonic France. The political tensions between ultra-loyalists and liberals influence the fate of the characters, and the difficulties military men experience in adapting to civilian life is a recurring motif. For example, one character, Philipe, fights for Napoleon and is proclaimed a hero. When the Bourbon Dynasty is restored, he refuses to rejoin the army, preferring to spend his days drinking in bars with fellow veterans, reliving the Battle of Waterloo. (These Bonaparte loyalists apparently formed a sub-section of society at the time, a down-and-out but still formidable mob of soldiers rejecting civilian rule but no longer answering to military authority.) Philipe's decision to align himself with this group is pivotal to the plot of "The Black Sheep."Half of the novel is set in Paris, the other half in the small town of Issoudun. Balzac contrasts Parisian manners and customs with provincial life and attitudes. This novel is part of Balzac's Human Comedy, specifically his "Scenes from Provincial Life."All in all, an interesting book and a very quick read. I recommend it.

Another great novel from Balzac from his Human Comedy collection.

the villain in black sheep will not appear in any other of Balzac novels. the bad guys head is cut off in a most horrifying way. the does resemble the recurring character. the diplomatic priest, pimp.

Balzac is a master story-teller, as one gathers from the first 3/4 of this novel. This is the story of two brothers, one an extremely talented and under-appreciated artist and the other a former member of the dragoon guards (the titular black sheep) who exudes arrogance in everything he does, and their mother, whose favoritism for the black sheep verges on being pathological. Aside from a fast-paced plot centered around an inheritance, one encounters colorful characters woven together seamlessly, as well as an incredible picture of the French countryside following Napoleon's reign. Unfortunately, the conclusion of this novel leaves a lot to be desired. It seems as though, for once, the great Honore de Balzac is stumped as to how to conclude one of his stories and resorts to a fairy-tale-like ending. However disappointing this was, I would not dissuade prospective readers. Balzac is still a master and essentially any of his works are worth reading.

I've read 15 plus novels by Balzac and this is one of the two or three best. Almost as good as Lost Illusions.

Cute classic easy and fun comedy. The ending was good.

The thing I love about this book is the slow, inexorable build to a denouement. Honoré de Balzac is the master of character portrayals. The sibling rivalry between Phillipe, the embittered soldier, and his brother Joseph, the humble artist, is a fascinating contrast between two opposites. You can feel a violent conclusion brewing between Phillipe and his rival Max simmering with each turn of the page. De Balzac perfectly captures nineteenth century greed and ambition in the many devious ways his characters seek to further their status.This is one of my all time favorite books, but as other reviewers have noted it flies under the radar of many readers. I even forgot I’d read it until I stumbled across a mention of the author. Do not miss out on this masterpiece in storytelling.

This is a powerful and often melodramatic novel, and it is an enthralling read. It is a convincing picture of the Bourbon epoch with all its tensions. None of the English translations use the original French title which is a curious phenomenon. The Black Sheep brother is a.classic monster; his brother is by contrast perfect. Their mother fails to appreciate the turpitude of the Black Sheep.We have a very literary soap!

A great book of human complexity...

I enjoyed this book very much. Sometimes disheartening but if you persist this is of great enjoyment! Not triumphal but reflective of life.

Read this book, it's a great story, timeless, but takes you to the streets of Paris in a world as uncertain as our own.

Just an amazing story, he brings his characters to life so vivdly, immediately a favourite read, I even preferred it to Pere Goriot