If you're looking for a quick but powerful classic, look no further than Guy de Maupassant's La Femme de Paul. This isn't a long, sprawling novel; it's a concentrated dose of human emotion, masterfully crafted in just a few pages.

The Story

The story follows Paul, a young painter living a carefree life with his friends in a riverside artists' colony. His world revolves around his lover, a woman simply known as 'Paul's woman.' Their life seems idyllic—full of boating, laughter, and lazy afternoons. But everything changes when a group of rowdy, flirtatious women arrives. Paul watches, helpless and seething, as his lover is drawn into their orbit, sharing jokes and intimacies that exclude him. What follows is a tense, heartbreaking spiral as Paul's love curdles into a possessive, desperate jealousy that threatens to destroy them both.

Why You Should Read It

Maupassant is a genius at showing, not telling. He doesn't lecture us about jealousy; he makes us feel its heat and its sickness right alongside Paul. The setting—sun-drenched and playful—makes the dark turn of the story even more effective. It's a brilliant, almost clinical, study of how insecurity can poison something beautiful. You'll read it in one sitting, but the emotional hangover lasts much longer.

Final Verdict

This is for anyone who loves character-driven stories that explore the messy corners of the human heart. It's perfect for readers new to classics who want something accessible and intense, and for seasoned Maupassant fans who appreciate his sharp, unsentimental eye. If you enjoy stories about flawed love and psychological realism, this little gem is unmissable.