What would you like to read?Search books, authors, genres, shelves, users...
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What would you like to read?Search books, authors, genres, shelves, users...
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1874
Victor Hugo
1874
A historical novel written in the late 19th century. The book portrays the tumultuous backdrop of the French Revolution, focusing particularly on the events in the Vendée region. It delves into themes of civil war, moral dilemmas, and the human cost of revolution, centering around characters caught in these violent struggles, including a group of soldiers and a mother named Michelle Fléchard who is fleeing with her children. The opening of the novel introduces the grim scenario of a battalion of Parisian soldiers searching the dangerous Bois de la Saudraie in May 1793, amid the devastating consequences of the ongoing civil war. As the battalion navigates the eerie, flower-laden woods filled with signs of past violence, they encounter Michelle Fléchard, a terrified woman hiding with her three children. The soldiers, initially on high alert for foes, are met with a moral conflict when they realize the vulnerability of the woman and her children, then their sergeant chooses compassion over violence. This dramatic opening sets the stage for the ensuing exploration of humanity amid the brutality of war, underscoring the moral complexities faced by individuals during this turbulent period.
