Classics
Madame Bovary
Emma Bovary, married to a kind but dull country doctor, longs for the romance and luxury she has read about. Her affairs and her spending slowly trap her in debt and disillusion.
Facts last checked 2026-10-16
- First published
- 1856
- Pace
- Slow
- Length
- Medium
- Pages
- 256
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you appreciate precise, ironic prose and a close study of a woman who wants more than she is given.
Skip this if you want likeable characters or a hopeful ending.
The feel
Content warnings
Quick answers about Madame Bovary
- What is Madame Bovary about?
- Emma Bovary, married to a kind but dull country doctor, longs for the romance and luxury she has read about. Her affairs and her spending slowly trap her in debt and disillusion.
- Who should read Madame Bovary?
- Read it if you appreciate precise, ironic prose and a close study of a woman who wants more than she is given. Skip it if you want likeable characters or a hopeful ending.
- How long and how fast is Madame Bovary?
- It is a slow-paced, medium read of about 256 pages, first published in 1856.
- Does Madame Bovary have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Infidelity, Suicide, Death.
- Can I borrow Madame Bovary for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends Madame Bovary; the borrow button above searches it for you.
- What should I read after Madame Bovary?
- Readers who liked it often move on to Anna Karenina, The Great Gatsby.
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Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Amazon | Check price | Buy new from Amazon |
| Ebook | ||
| Kobo | Check price | Buy ebook from Kobo |
| Google Play Books | Check price | Buy ebook from Google Play Books |
| Audiobook | ||
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
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