The Downfall - Émile Zola

📥 Download a free excerpt

Émile Zola's masterpiece on the Franco-Prussian War of 1870

Dive into the collapse of the Second Empire through the eyes of Jean Macquart, a soldier lost in the debacle of Sedan. Zola depicts with unmatched power the disintegration of an army, the fall of a regime, and the painful birth of a nation.

This historical novel offers you:

• An epic fresco of the 1870 war and the siege of Sedan
• Zola's striking realism in the description of battles
• A profound reflection on war, honor, and defeat
• The final installment of the Rougon-Macquart cycle

Metvox Publications edition with historical introduction and explanatory notes.