The Fortune of the Rougons

Set in the town of Plassans, the story explores the contrasting lives of Adelaide Fouque's children. Pierre, her legitimate son, embodies ambition and vanity, while his half-siblings, the Macquart siblings, face the challenges of work, addiction, and hardship. Zola delves into themes of social struggle and familial dynamics, painting a vivid picture of the characters' intertwined fates against the backdrop of 19th-century France.