Les Liaisons DangereusesLes Liaisons Dangereuses
Score Classic
What it's about
Former lovers the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont play a game of seduction and manipulation to amuse themselves. Published just before the French Revolution, it's a damning portrait of a decadent society.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's one of the most notorious novels of all time.
You'll love it if you liked
The Age of Innocence
Rebecca
Vanity FairGood to know
It's a translation from French, and newer translations read easily.
By the numbers
- Readers36 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller19 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
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Quick answers
Is Les Liaisons Dangereuses worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #2,381 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 61.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Les Liaisons Dangereuses about?
Former lovers the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont play a game of seduction and manipulation to amuse themselves. Published just before the French Revolution, it's a damning portrait of a decadent society.
How long does it take to read Les Liaisons Dangereuses?
About 10 hours (418 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Les Liaisons Dangereuses?
If you liked it, try The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier or Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray.