Vanity Fair
William Makepeace Thackeray · 1811–1863 · England
Why it matters
Ruthless, charming Becky Sharp claws her way up Regency society while her sweeter friend Amelia clings to a worthless husband. Thackeray's 'novel without a hero,' narrated by a puppeteer who refuses to let anyone off easy, remains satire's sharpest anatomy of social climbing.
At a glance
satirehistorical fiction
Difficulty 5/10medium pace800 pagesA vast social canvas and a knowing narrator, but no formal difficulty.
Deep dive
How a novel that refuses you a hero or a moral center still adds up to the sharpest verdict on social climbing ever written.
Where to go next
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