Madame De La Fayette 
The Princess of Cleves 

This classic of early French literature was published in 1678 anonymously, but was later attributed to Madame de La Fayette. It is set in 1558-59 France in the court of King Henry II. It’s historical fiction and by most accounts it’s fairly accurate in it’s portrayal of the people and events of the era. It’s the story of a young girl sent to court to find a husband, marries a prince then falls in love with a duke. The intrigues and little dramas that surround these events play out through the novel.