Nancy’s Reviews > Paris > Status Update

Finish book: Politics - anarchist receives death penalty an Zola describes (jick) execuiton by guillotine. Politics - corrupt gov cabinet falls. - Love triangels - Piere and Maire (P&M) confess they are in love and brother Guillaume (her fiancé) accepts this fact. Marriage - la baronne sees her lover marry her daughter (ouch!) ...book ends with P&M and new baby...and of course a Zola rant a/b religion vs science.

Part 4: Just when you thought life is good...Pierre finally reconciles with his estranged brother. Pierre is welcomed into his home with his 3 sons. Pierre accepts his lost faith and takes off his cassock and leaves the church. What happens? Pierre falls in love with his brother Guillaume's finacée!! What is going to happen in the story with this cliffhanger?

Politics: list of corrupt politicians published...how do they save their good name and carriere? Brothers: Abbé Pierre and Guillaume walk in Bois de Boulogne...how do we help 70 yr friend of father escape being arrested as anarchist? Lovers: La Baronne and Gerard meet...how can he assure his mistress that he will not marry her daughter? Is the anarchist that caused the exlposion finally captured? Busy day in Paris!

Strange reading pages today: 7 pages of a La Baronne and Camille (mother-daughter fight) over mother's lover Gerard! 14 pages of Silviane (actress, Le baron's lover)...getting very drunk at party and ending up in a louche nightclub. Le Baron thinks he will end up with the actress after the party...but she skips out with others! Baron Duvillard not amused! Pierre warned that police getting closer to anarchist.

I've read 2 other books "Lourdes" and "Rome" and  the word choices are similar so the book is easy to read. In all 3 books Zola's criticism  of the Catholic Church is scathing. Pg 259 ("Paris") sums up Zola's disdain:  "...la science lui prouve chaque jour davantage que le bonheur dans l'Au-delà est un mesonge" - Every day science proves more and more that  happiness in "Heaven" (l'Au-delà) is a lie. Finished part 2.

Everyone is looking for the anarchist(s) after the explosion. There are clues and abbé Pierre knows more than he is saying! Zola's books are so long b/c he describes all places he goes ghettos, factories and all the people he meets! Today's reading was a lot of backstory about his brother Guillaume and politics.

READ: Zola "Paris" - Finished part 1 many with characters/politicians we will not hear about again. Abbé Piere still sturggling with his faith and poverty in France. There are many fashbacks to his story in Rome, descripitons of ghettos, dazzling rich homes, churches and the streets of Paris. The conflict in the book will center on the priest and his estranged brother Guillaume. I peaked into  parts 2-3-4!

While Mme de Quinsac (65 yr) sits and talks to her friend Marquis de Morigny (75 yr) and her brother General de Bozonnet). It appears mother refuses allow her son ever marry into the "Duvillard" family with Camille (why?).  De Bozonnet makes clear her son Gerard is not the "best catch" as a husband, lazy and has no job.  The  young man is MORE trouble than he is worth.

Zola weaves the "Scandal de Panama" into the story. 6 French ministers took bribes (1892-1893) to conceal the terrible financial state of the French company that failed at constructing the Panama Canal...powerplays, politics and payoffs!

Starting #20BooksOfSummer 10 days early. This is a the last I I must read to finish the "cycle Trois Villes". 600+ pages so I hope to read 20 pg per day. This will bring me to the end of June. I know a lot of the 'backstory' about Abbé Pierre Froment so it is an easy read so far.