'The Guest of Quesnay' Summary

The Guest of Quesnay is a novel by Booth Tarkington that tells the story of a mysterious stranger who arrives at a French chateau. The stranger, who is never named, is a charming and enigmatic figure who soon captures the attention of the people at the chateau.

The stranger's arrival sets off a chain of events that lead to the unraveling of secrets and the revealing of hidden desires. As the story progresses, the stranger's true identity and motives are gradually revealed, and the reader is left to ponder the meaning of his presence at Quesnay.

The novel begins with the arrival of the stranger at Quesnay, a French chateau owned by a wealthy American named George Berrington. The stranger is immediately taken with Quesnay and its inhabitants, including Berrington's wife, Isabel; his daughter, Paula; and his friend, the artist Oliver Parshley.

The stranger soon reveals himself to be a skilled manipulator, and he begins to play the people at Quesnay against each other. He sows discord between Isabel and Berrington, and he makes Paula question her own feelings for Parshley.

As the stranger's true intentions become clear, the people at Quesnay are forced to confront their own secrets and desires. The stranger's presence at Quesnay forces them to examine their lives and relationships, and it ultimately leads to a reckoning.

The Guest of Quesnay is a well-written and suspenseful novel that explores a number of interesting themes. The novel is a meditation on the nature of identity, the power of secrets, and the importance of love and friendship. It is also a story about the conflict between the old world and the new.

The novel is full of twists and turns, and it keeps the reader guessing until the very end. Tarkington's writing is clear and engaging, and he does a great job of creating a sense of atmosphere and suspense. The characters are well-developed and believable, and the story is both entertaining and thought-provoking.