The Mysteries of Marseilles

The Mysteries of Marseilles is a novel by Émile Zola that was originally serialized in 1867. It explores taboo and the lives of people on the edge of society, illuminating the human condition and humanizing those typically disdained by the literary elite. The story follows a poor republican named Philippe Cayot who falls in love with Blanche de Cazalis, a young heiress. When their affair is discovered, Philippe is sent to prison, and Blanche is forced to enter a convent. Marius, Philippe's brother, hatches a plan to protect the lovers, rescue their child, and take control of the de Cazalis family fortune. The novel is a classic work of French literature reimagined for modern readers.

Format: Hardback
Length: 370 pages
Publication date: 15 February 2022
Publisher: West Margin Press

The Mysteries of Marseilles is a novel by French author Émile Zola, originally serialized in Le Messager de Provence in 1867. The novel was written at the beginning of Zola's literary career, with the intent of exploring taboo and the lives of people on the edge of society. Zola crafts a narrative that is capable of illuminating the human condition while humanizing those typically disdained by the literary elite. In mid-nineteenth-century France, a Second Republic has come into power following the Revolution of 1848, installing Napoleon III as the nation's first president. Over the next several years, the country enters a period of liberal reform and temporary peace. In Marseilles, a poor republican named Philippe Cayot has fallen in love with the young heiress Blanche de Cazalis, a member of one of the city's most influential families. When their affair is discovered, Philippe is sent to prison, and Blanche, after giving birth to an illegitimate child, is forced to enter a convent.

Undeterred by the tragedy and injustice of these events, Philippe's brother Marius hatches a plan to protect the young lovers, rescue their child, and take control of the de Cazalis family fortune. The Mysteries of Marseilles is a story of forbidden love, fading hope, and the false promise of modern life. Written at the very beginning of Zola's career, it shows the innerworkings of a young mind interested in subjects too often ignored by writers, a mind whose guiding principle is truth and truth alone. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Émile Zola's The Mysteries of Marseilles is a classic work of French literature reimagined for modern readers.

Dimension: 203 x 127 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781513133294