by Émile Zola
Part of Les Rougon-Macquart, book 6
First published 1971
Eugène Rougon sits in his Paris office in 1856, sensing his political downfall before it arrives. The former provincial lawyer who helped build Napoleon III's Empire now abandons his position as president of the Council of State rather than face disgrace. His resignation troubles his circle of friends who depend on his influence. They worry as Rougon considers retreating to clear land in the remote Landes region, a move that would exile him from power completely. Among those working to restore his favor, Clorinde proves most determined. This enigmatic woman, whom Rougon once refused to marry, maneuvers tirelessly for his return to grace. Their efforts unfold against the backdrop of Second Empire Paris, where political careers rise and fall through calculated schemes and shifting alliances. Zola constructs this installment of his Rougon-Macquart cycle around the mechanics of power rather than traditional dramatic structure, creating a comedy of political maneuvering that reveals how personal interests drive the machinery of government.
Genres: fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, 19th-century, political-thriller
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, political-intrigue
Setting: Paris, Landes
Period: 1856
453 pages · Mass Market Paperback · LGF