First published in 1782, French author Pierre Ambroise Francois Choderlos de Laclos’s novel "Dangerous Liaisons" (Les Liaisons dangereuses), a popular example of the epistolary novel (a work of fiction that takes the form of letters or other documents), tells the story of two wicked ex-lovers who amuse themselves by manipulating and seducing a pious married woman and a virtuous young maiden.
Laclos’s first novel, "Dangerous Liaisons" caused an immediate sensation and has become a classic of French literature.
"Dangerous Liaisons" has been adapted for the film and stage on numerous occasions, including an Oscar-nominated 1988 film starring Glenn Close and the 1999 teen drama Cruel Intentions starring Sarah Michelle Gellar.