The Charterhouse of Parma

One of Stendhal's two acknowledged masterpieces (and only complete novels), along with The Red and the Black, the Charterhouse of Parma tells the story of the young Italian noble Fabrizio, and his mis-adventures during the age of Napoleon. The novel is often cited as an early example of realism, a stark contrast to the Romantic style popular while Stendhal was writing. The events center of the town of Parma, and a castle on Lake Como, both in Italy, but other locations across Europe are featured, including the Battle of Waterloo.