In the coming-of-age story The Charterhouse of Parma, we follow a young Italian nobleman, Fabrizio Valserra, Marchesino del Dongo, on many adventures, including his experiences at the Battle of Waterloo, and romantic intrigues. Along the way we meet a number of fascinating characters, including Fabrizios devoted aunt, Gina; her lover, the Parmese statesman, Count Mosca; and Fabrizios true love, Clélia Conti. Set against the backdrop of post-Revolutionary Europe, the novel portrays a society that can barely keep up with its people, because the changes history and politics have wrought are so pervasive.