by Thomas Mann
First published 1992
Felix Krull isn't just another young man—he's a master of transformation. Born into a middle-class family with fading fortunes, Felix discovers his extraordinary talent for impersonation and manipulation. When traditional paths of advancement close, he weaponizes his charisma and stunning good looks to infiltrate elite European circles. Each new identity becomes a carefully crafted performance: bellhop, aristocrat, scientific assistant. As his cons grow more audacious, Felix risks everything on his ability to read people and slip between social boundaries. But how long can a confidence man maintain his elaborate fictions before the world sees through his most perfect disguise?
Genres: fiction, classics, literary-fiction, 20th-century, biographical-fiction
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: unreliable-narrator
Setting: Germany
Period: 20th-Century
400 pages · Paperback · Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group