Durtal, a reserved and critical man, embarks on writing a biography of Gilles de Rais, a notorious fifteenth-century child-murderer believed to be the inspiration for ‘Bluebeard’. Disenchanted with the vulgarity of modern life, Durtal seeks spiritual refuge in the past. However, his inquiries into Gilles’s alleged participation in satanic rituals lead him to the sinister madame Chantelouve, pulling him into a shadowy realm of black magic and erotic devilry in late nineteenth-century Paris. Published in 1891, “The Damned” solidified Huysmans’s status as a pioneering figure in avant-garde literature and a challenging voice in European literary circles.

Why You Should Read?

• Explore themes of spiritual disillusionment and the allure of the forbidden.
• Discover a historically significant work that influenced European literature.
• Ideal for readers interested in dark, thought-provoking narratives and historical fiction.
• This edition offers authoritative texts with insightful introductions and notes.