# The Magic Skin

By Honoré de Balzac.

"The Magic Skin" by Honoré de Balzac is a novel published in 1831. Set in early 19th-century Paris, it follows a young man who discovers a magical piece of shagreen that grants his every wish. However, each desire fulfilled causes the skin to shrink and drains his physical energy. The novel explores the conflict between desire and longevity, examining bourgeois materialism through Balzac's detailed portrayal of Parisian society. It established Balzac as a significant French writer. (Summary by Project Gutenberg, written by machine.)

- Language: English
- Translator: Ellen Marriage
- Subjects: Fantasy fiction; Authors -- Fiction; Wishes -- Fiction; Hides and skins -- Fiction; French fiction -- Translations into English; Magic -- Fiction

[Read it](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/books/gutenberg/1307/read)
[Plain text](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/api/books/gutenberg/1307/text)

## Audiobooks of it

- [Magic Skin](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/books/librivox/7968) by Honoré de Balzac (11 h 28 min, English)

From Project Gutenberg. Public domain in the United States.