A staple for Russian readers; you can save the page as a PDF or find direct links to formatted versions.

The book serves as a sharp critique of 19th-century French society—a world obsessed with luxury, social climbing, and material gain at the expense of the soul.

Balzac explores the "burning" of life. Raphaël is caught between vouloir (to desire), pouvoir (to have the power to act), and savoir (to know/wisdom). The skin represents the physical toll that intense passion and ambition take on the human body.