The Sin of Father Mouret

The Sin of Father Mouret is a novel by Émile Zola that follows the lives of several French citizens raised by the same mother, exploring family, politics, class, and history. Serge Mouret, a young priest, is appointed to the impoverished village of Artauds and becomes increasingly neurotic, eventually suffering a breakdown. He is taken into the care of Doctor Pascal Rougon and is sent to Le Paradou, where he befriends Albine and falls in love with her.

Format: Hardback
Length: 318 pages
Publication date: 15 February 2022
Publisher: West Margin Press

The Sin of Father Mouret (1875) is a novel by French author Émile Zola, the fifth of twenty volumes in his monumental Les Rougon-Macquart series. This epic tale explores family, politics, class, and history, tracing the diverse paths of several French citizens raised by the same mother. Spanning the entirety of the French Second Empire, Zola offers a sweeping portrait of change that confronts controversy and truth, delving into the essence of heredity and human nature.

Serge Mouret, a pious but overzealous young man, is appointed parish priest of the impoverished village of Artauds. Despite his efforts to attract villagers to his sermons, he finds himself preaching to an empty, dilapidated church, driven by a desire to explore and expose the depths of his soul. Removed from worldly concerns, Mouret becomes increasingly neurotic, eventually succumbing to a debilitating breakdown. He is taken under the care of Doctor Pascal Rougon, a distant relative, who suggests he be sent to Le Paradou, a rundown estate, to live out his life in peace and near-solitude.

At Le Paradou, Mouret befriends Albine, a young girl who has grown up alone at the estate. She dotes on her ailing housemate, and Mouret develops an innocent and blissful romance with her. As time passes, his feelings for Albine deepen, and their friendship transforms into a passionate love affair.

The Sin of Father Mouret is a captivating story of family and fate, filled with thrilling details and intricate characterizations. It continues a series that is so rich in its themes and narratives that Zola was able to explore it in twenty total volumes. This edition of Émile Zola's The Sin of Father Mouret, with its beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, presents a classic work of French literature reimagined for modern readers.

Dimension: 203 x 127 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781513133249