Madame Bovary

Madame Bovary, published in 1857 by Gustave Flaubert, follows Emma Bovary, a doctor's wife who engages in extramarital affairs and overspends to escape her dull provincial life. The novel is notable for its detailed realism and Flaubert's meticulous attention to language, as he sought the perfect word in his writing. It is considered a pioneering work of literary realism and has influenced countless authors and movements in literature.