Dangerous Liaisons

A subtle psychological novel in the epistolary genre. Through the correspondence of the main characters, cynical aristocrat manipulators Valmont and Merteuil, a virtuoso chess game of living people unfolds before the reader. The author's mastery transforms the exchange of letters into a merciless mirror, exposing the true motives of the characters: within them lie intrigues, confessions, betrayals, and double meanings that reveal the true nature of human emotions. This scandalous novel, sentenced to destruction in 1823 "for offending morality," is today considered one of the first examples of psychological prose and continues to enjoy the love of readers: it has more than ten adaptations, including the Oscar-winning film starring Glenn Close and John Malkovich in the lead roles.