Jean Borie Book order (chronological)

The Kill (La Curée) is the second volume in Zola's great cycle of twenty novels, Les Rougon-Macquart, and the first to establish Paris - the capital of modernity - as the centre of Zola's narrative world. Conceived as a representation of the uncontrollable 'appetites' unleashed by the Second Empire (1852-70) and the transformation of the city by Baron Haussmann, the novel combines into a single, powerful vision the twin themes of lust for money and lust for pleasure. The all-pervading promiscuity of the new Paris is reflected in the dissolute and frenetic lives of an unscrupulous property speculator, Saccard, his neurotic wife Renée, and her dandified lover, Saccard's son Maxime.

Set in the royal court of Henry II of France, the story follows Mademoiselle de Chartres, a sheltered heiress seeking a suitable husband. As she navigates her duties as a future princess, she grapples with her passionate love for another man, creating a tension between obligation and desire. Celebrated for its historical accuracy and introspective characters, the novel marks a significant shift in literature towards realism, moving away from romanticized narratives. This classic remains a pivotal work in French literary history.