“An unprecedented creation” - Les Liaisons dangereuses through the eyes of André Malraux

Critics often regard Les Liaisons dangereuses as part of the tradition of the novel of libertinage. They consider it to be superior to its predecessors but argue that it is the high point of an established tradition, not the beginning of something new. Malraux demurs. While noting similarities with the novel of libertinage, he contends that Laclos’ novel links up much more significantly with the novel of the future, its descendants including Julien Sorel and even Raskolnikov.