Pour une nuit d'amour/L'inondation

by Émile Zola

Chaque jour, Julien joue de la flûte pour la belle Thérèse de Marsanne qu'il aperçoit de sa fenêtre. Or la jeune fille ne le regarde pas et l'ignore malgré ses sérénades quotidiennes... jusqu'au soir où elle l'invite à la rejoindre dans sa chambre. Julien se précipite, mais est-il vraiment prêt à tout pour une nuit d'amour ? Deux courtes nouvelles dramatiques qui révèlent une nouvelle facette de l'auteur des Rougon-Macquart.

Genres: France

112 pages, Pocket Book

Published September 7, 2023

About the author

Émile Zola was a prominent French novelist, journalist, and playwright widely regarded as a key figure in the development of literary naturalism. His work profoundly influenced both literature and society through its commitment to depicting reality with scientific objectivity and exploring the impact of environment and heredity on human behavior. Born and raised in France, Zola experienced early personal hardship following the death of his father, which deeply affected his understanding of social and economic struggles—a theme that would later permeate his writings.
Zola began his literary career working as a clerk for a publishing house, where he developed his skills and cultivated a passion for literature. His early novels, such as Thérèse Raquin, gained recognition for their intense psychological insight and frank depiction of human desires and moral conflicts. However, it was his monumental twenty-volume series, Les Rougon-Macquart, that established his lasting reputation. This cycle of novels offered a sweeping examination of life under the Second French Empire, portraying the lives of a family across generations and illustrating how hereditary traits and social conditions shape individuals’ destinies. The series embodies the naturalist commitment to exploring human behavior through a lens informed by emerging scientific thought.
Beyond his literary achievements, Zola was a committed social and political activist. His involvement in the Dreyfus Affair is one of the most notable examples of his dedication to justice. When Captain Alfred Dreyfus was wrongfully accused and convicted of treason, Zola published his famous open letter, J’Accuse…!, which condemned the French military and government for corruption and anti-Semitism. This act of courage led to his prosecution and temporary exile but played a crucial role in eventual justice for Dreyfus and exposed deep divisions in French society.
Zola’s personal life was marked by both stability and complexity. He married Éléonore-Alexandrine Meley, who managed much of his household affairs, and later had a long-term relationship with Jeanne Rozerot, with whom he fathered two children. Throughout his life, Zola remained an incredibly prolific writer, producing not only novels but also essays, plays, and critical works that investigated the intersections between literature, science, and society.
His legacy continues to resonate for its profound impact on literature and for his fearless commitment to social justice. Zola’s work remains essential reading for its rich narrative detail, social critique, and pioneering approach to the realistic portrayal of human life. His role in the Dreyfus Affair stands as a powerful example of the intellectual’s responsibility to speak truth to power.

Reviews

[Louis Dumas · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 nouvelles glaçantes, malheureusement une première qui laisse une fin franchement décevante et une introduction qui traîne en longueur et une deuxième où je peine à croire les actions des personnages. Cela dit j’ai trouvé l’inondation meilleure avec une montée progressive de l’angoisse parfaitement maîtrisée renforcée par la forme du témoignage.

Moi qui était fâché avec Zola je vais peut-être me laisser tenter par une lecture plus conséquente.

[Marie_Dmont · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pour une nuit d’amour : bien… plutôt “drôle” et déstabilisant. Chaque événement est surprenant ou dérangeant.
L’inondation : très beau. Le cœur serré sur la 2e 1/2… très belle écriture.. triste mais beau

[Mélodie Sabot · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

Un retournement de situation assez surprenant. Toutefois ce livre donne une très belle représentation des dangers de l’amour. De belles citations très touchantes exprimant la sensation si confuse de l’amour à sens unique. Julien dans son histoire et sa fin est très attachant.

[rayan · Rating 2 out of 5]

bref

[Marion · Rating 2 out of 5]

Des beaux passages en termes de prose mais je suis déçue du traitement du sujet de la première nouvelle.

[luvvlaloyddd · Rating 2 out of 5]

Il parle beaucoup——
Beaucoup…
J’ai perdue patience