Thérèse Raquin, by Honoré de Balzac

This book reminds me of why I decided to avoid Zola years ago, after reading Germinal.  Basically, his characters are born…and their lives go downhill from there.  There are some similarities to Thomas Hardy, but at least Hardy’s characters have a more hopeful outlook in the early part of the story and strong redeeming qualities even if fate does get them in the end.

**spoiler alert!**

Therese Raquin is the story of a sordid love triangle in a depressing working class neighborhood.  Therese was adopted permanently by her aunt after her parents died, and she married her cousin Camille, a sickly boy with whom she was raised, and whom she married only because she was expected to and for lack of other prospects.  After they move to Paris, Therese starts an affair with Camille’s best friend Laurent (big healthy meathead type), and together they plot to kill Camille so that they can marry and inherit her elderly aunt’s property after her death.  Their consciences, however, prove impossible to appease after the murder, and they become subject to Macbeth-like psychotic delusions, seeing their victim around or sensing his presence, especially when they are alone together.  Everything comes to a tragic end.

There was only one character in this book that I liked, and that was the Raquins’ tabby cat Francois.  Even he was very cruelly murdered.

Don’t pick up this book unless you are in the mood for a major downer.

Eugénie Grandet, by Honoré de Balzac

This is a tragic story about a young lady living in a French town in the Loire region with her miserly father, patient long suffering mother and faithful servant.  Being of a rich family, she is courted by the sons of other well to do families in her town, when one day her handsome young cousin from Paris comes to live with them for a while. Which suitor succeeds in winning her heart, and will he win her hand as well?

  Balzac clearly meant the story to criticize the too avid pursuit of wealth, to the point where more precious things are sacrificed for its sake and where even the enjoyment of the wealth (presumably the main why reason one wants it) is forgotten in the desire to possess it.