The Chouans
Balzac’s first signed novel plunges into Brittany in 1799, where royalist peasants known as the Chouans wage guerrilla war against the young French Republic. At its center is Marie de Verneuil, a young woman sent by the government to seduce and betray the rebel commander, the Marquis de Montauran. What begins as a mission of espionage turns into a genuine and dangerous passion, with loyalty, suspicion, and pride pulling the lovers apart. Modeling himself on Walter Scott, Balzac blends real military history with romantic tragedy, and the book marks the moment he found his mature voice. It later took its place among the war scenes of La Comedie humaine. This free PDF and EPUB edition brings the story to readers at no cost.
About the Author
Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850) was a French novelist whose vast Human Comedy, a connected series of novels and stories, is a monument of literary realism and one of the great achievements of world literature.
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