Early Works

This collection features Gustave Flaubert's earliest works, penned between the ages of fourteen and twenty-one, and published together for the first time. The pieces explore themes of obsession, horror, and forbidden passion, showcasing a vibrant mix of darkness and comedy as Flaubert navigates his formative years. Readers will encounter tales of tragic love, rebellion, and the chaotic emergence of a literary voice that would later revolutionize the novel. Despite their excess and unfinished nature, these writings reveal the raw intensity of a young writer in the throes of creativity.