Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

Set in early 19th-century England, this novel follows the ambitious and witty Becky Sharp as she schemes her way through society, contrasting with the gentle and virtuous Amelia Sedley. Through war, marriage, and financial scandal, both women face the harsh realities of a status-obsessed world. The plot is sprawling, satirical, and richly detailed. A brilliant critique of vanity, ambition, and social hypocrisy. A timeless portrait of human folly and survival.