This is a fascinating story of a person gone wrong. People either like, sympathize with, or hate the main character. This is a particularly good English translation and the narrator, Davina Porter (who is a seasoned actress), does an excellent job of reading it. She takes on different voices, both male and female, and is convincing. She also has a good pronunciation of French names. The book was first published in 1857 but it is extremely modern and that is why people are still reading it over 160 years later.