Sentimental Education is the story of Frederic Moreau, a young Frenchman living through the 1848 revolution and the establishment of the Second French Empire. Moreau is predisposed to flights of imagination and to romantic wanderings. He broods extensively on his affection for a handsome older woman as chaos escalates around him and France falls into bloody infighting. The novel is critical of both decadent French culture and the hypocritical austerity of the first Revolution.
The most popular website for book notes. SparkNotes was created by students for students, and their summaries are accessible and extremely well-written. Besides the usual plot overview, chapter summaries, and character analysis, SparkNotes differentiates itself with a section discussing themes, motifs, and symbols.
If you're bored by traditional book notes, try Shmoop! They write their summaries in an approachable, entertaining style. Their comprehensive offering includes chapter by chapter summaries, themes, quotes, character analysis, study quizzes, and even flash cards and infographics.