Ratings17
Average rating3.8
The thirteenth novel in Emile Zola's great Rougon-Macquart sequence, Germinal expresses outrage at the exploitation of the many by the few, but also shows humanity's capacity for compassion and hope.Etienne Lantier, an unemployed railway worker, is a clever but uneducated young man with a dangerous temper. Forced to take a back-breaking job at Le Voreux mine when he cannot get other work, he discovers that his fellow miners are ill, hungry, and in debt, unable to feed and clothe their families. When conditions in the mining community deteriorate even further, Lantier finds himself leading a strike that could mean starvation or salvation for all.
Series
14 primary booksLes Rougon-Macquart is a 14-book series with 14 primary works first released in 1871 with contributions by Émile Zola, Brian Nelson, and 8 others.
Reviews with the most likes.
J'avais lu ce roman d'Emile Zola au lycée et j'en garde un bon souvenir, pour sa description des classes sociales et de la violence sociale.
Je viens de le relire, et c'est sans doute le roman le plus fort du cycle des Rougon-Macquart. Le plus politique également, sans doute. Quelle claque !