Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert was enjoyed by the group for all the qualities that have secured its place as a literary classic.

The novel explores the collision between romance and harsh reality, set against the backdrop of an idyllic yet confining 19th-century rural France. Much of the discussion centred on the character of Emma Bovary: is she merely vain and selfish, or a free spirit crushed by the stifling social mores of her time?

Whether readers loved or loathed Emma, the novel sparked lively debate and proved to be a compelling and essential read.