First published 2019
France teeters on the edge of collapse in 1789. The nation faces bankruptcy while its people starve in the streets. On April 28th, factory workers rise up when threatened with wage cuts, igniting the first sparks of what will become the French Revolution. Through the anxious night of July 13th, citizen guards occupy the streets of Paris. As dawn breaks on July 14th, the revolution truly begins. Vuillard follows the nameless crowds through this pivotal day, weaving together individual lives and fates into a vivid portrait of mass uprising. The story unfolds from the perspective of ordinary people whose collective actions reshape history. This reconstruction captures the chaos and energy of the day that changed European history forever, reminding us that true freedom requires universal equality.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, 19th-century, political-thriller
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-fiction, political-thriller
Setting: France, Paris
Period: 1789
189 pages · Hardcover · Meulenhoff