Preview

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Cousin Bette

By: Honoré de Balzac
Narrated by: Johanna Ward
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $21.72

Buy for $21.72

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

The Bette referred to in this magnificent novel's title is Lisbeth Fischer, an excruciatingly cunning poor relation who both depends upon and nurses a terrible grudge against the family of her beautiful cousin, Adeline. That family is slowly being ruined by the uncontrollable sexual appetites of Adeline's husband, Baron Hulot - appetites that will, in time, give Cousin Bette opportunity to exact her vengeance.

Balzac described Cousin Bette as one of his "scenes of Parisian life", and it is certainly that. It offers us a hypnotic vision of that infinitely varied city during the bright, vital, scandalous, and sexually untrammeled era of King Louis-Philippe. The courtesans, swindlers, bankers, artists, murderers, detectives, and saints populating this world pass before us invested with a verve and vividness unsurpassed in the history of the novel.

(P)1999 Blackstone Audio Inc.
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Featured Article: J'adore—The Best French Authors to Listen to Now


Ah, France—the food. The wine. The style. From the City of Lights to the countryside, France is one of the most popular tourist destination spots in the world. But whether your French travel plans are on hold or you’re ready to take a virtual trip now, French literature is one of the best ways to get to know France’s fascinating history, people, and culture. Discover three centuries of the best French authors and their greatest works.

What listeners say about Cousin Bette

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    214
  • 4 Stars
    121
  • 3 Stars
    60
  • 2 Stars
    17
  • 1 Stars
    11
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    233
  • 4 Stars
    61
  • 3 Stars
    18
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    182
  • 4 Stars
    79
  • 3 Stars
    31
  • 2 Stars
    18
  • 1 Stars
    7

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Doing justice to Balzac

Johanna Ward reads this book beautifully! She clearly has excellent control of both French and English and it shows! Thanks!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

a bit sad

I wanted to read this book because I loved the movie. I am sorely disappointed.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

I can see why Karl Marx loved Balzac now...

"I have learned more than from all the professed historians, economists, and statisticians of the period together," said Karl Marx of his reading of Balzac. And it's not hard to see why! Cousin Bette, at any rate, is an excellent work and I'm glad I finally made my way to reading one of Balzac's novels. But good lord--these novels are not for the squeamish! The depiction of the degeneracy of the bourgeoisie in this novel is astonishing for its cynicism. Having just gone through a period of reading to P.G. Wodehouse and Angela Thirkell I have definitely gone from the light geniuses to a dark one! Still, the novel is brilliant and you would not regret reading such a minutely-drawn chronicle of Paris in the 1830s and 40s.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Vendetta, 'Cross and Double Cross'; very relevant

First Balzac novel I've read. Thought it was WONDERFUL!
A tale of vindictiveness and revenge - played within and without family dynamics.

Balzac has a very fine (interesting) narrative tone - and his commentary on society is usually 'spot on' - after considering when it was published ~1846.

Story of a 'Poor Cousin' - who was always subservient to the larger family - they befriend her - she 'befriends' them; while plotting their downplay. Cross-Double Cross-Triple Cross.

Balzac's social commentary just as relevant now as when it was written.

Balzac's social commentary is "on a par" with that of Edith Wharton (Custom of the Country, House of Mirth and Age of Innocence)....

Highly recommended.

Carl Gallozzi
Cgallozzi@comcast.net

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A true masterpiece!!

I have found a new favorite author! My first Balzac work. Absolutely loved it! What a titan of thought! And Kate Reading is superb, as always.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Classical Realism

A pretty good novel. Balzac draws a picture of the Paris of the 1800's with much accuracy and detail. Characters you love and others you hate.
You really got to put the 1800's chip on, because women's treatment, attitude, etc , does exasperate quite a bit.
And the reader, great!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

wow, were women ever this stupid?

I can't imagine any woman letting this happen for to their family. it is a great story for showing stupidity.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story!

Would you listen to Cousin Bette again? Why?

I did listen twice because I could not keep the characters apart and the reader didn't change her voice enough to help me remember individual characters. After I got past that it was easier to listen to.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Actually, none of them since none were able to see their own problems let alone do anything about them.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

In the beginning it was difficult to keep the characters apart.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, not possible.

Any additional comments?

I was a lot like a modern day soap opera.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story and fine performance, bravo!

The storyline is very witty, and insightful to human nature, respectfully performed by a great artist.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Thoroughly enjoyable

Great story that feels immediate, even though the world has changed. People always want more sex, security and power. Universal.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful