Not being especially cognizant of the intricacies of 19th century French society, I was unable to fully appreciate the satire (while being fully aware that it *was* satire.) . I found it interesting that the venal protagonist became somewhat more sympathetic as the novel progressed-- perhaps an indication of increasing maturity?
I had hoped for a story that was situated more in the politics of the era, plots and intrigues, rather than the internal monologues, drawing room banter, and sneaking into ladies' bedrooms that seemed to compose most of the text. C'est la vie.