Diebe der Schönheit.

More about the book

Let’s be honest: who hasn’t harbored a mischievous thought of locking away leggy beauties during summer? French philosopher and writer Pascal Bruckner transforms this painful fantasy into a quirky novel. A young Parisian couple finds themselves stranded in the Alps with their luxury car and takes refuge in a chalet, home to an aging beau and his deformed servant. What begins as an enjoyable evening quickly turns into a nightmare for Benjamin and his girlfriend Hélène when they discover a secret cellar. Benjamin, an unsuccessful writer, has spent years working on a novel, while Hélène, a wealthy anthropologist, follows him into his depths. In a psychiatric emergency room, Benjamin recounts the story of Jérome Steiner, the chalet's owner, and his wife Francesca. Steiner, along with his servant, has a cruel objective: to destroy female beauty by abducting attractive women and holding them captive in the chalet's catacombs. As Benjamin becomes entangled in Steiner's plans, which also involve Hélène, he uncovers the devastating consequences of his choices. Bruckner's dark vision reflects the characters' obsessions and offers literary allusions to works by Wilde, Fowles, and Hartley while addressing the dangers of totalitarian ideologies.