Der Garten der Qualen

The narrator, a hedonist fleeing a failed political career in crisis-ridden Paris, becomes captivated by a young Englishwoman named Clara and follows her to China. There, he discovers Clara's eccentric and cruel nature as she introduces him to a world where torture is treated as an art form, intertwined with a unique cult of flowers and beauty. As he witnesses horrific practices, Clara ultimately succumbs to the horrors as well, hinting at her inevitable return to this garden of suffering. The author, Octave Mirbeau, is a notable figure from the French Belle Époque.