Sons of the Soil

"Vive la counter-revolution!" In 'Sons of the Soil', Balzac tells an extraordinary story of gentry and peasants, complacency and corruption, jealousy and revenge. And it has a contentious central message: the Revolution upset the balance and sowed new divisions between the classes. Centred around General Moncornet's chateau and estate in Burgundy, there is a large, fascinating cast of listless ladies and gentlemen indoors who "get what amusement they can out of carefully dressing themselves". Meanwhile, the staff are scheming and the locals con and poach their way through life. With the skill of Charles Dickens, Balzac draws together the main characters and enmeshes them in a murderous and treacherous plot with numerous serpentine twists. Fans of 'Downton Abbey' and Dickens' classics, including 'Bleak House' and 'A Tale of Two Cities' will love this.