The Kill

La Curée

By: Émile Zola

Narrated by: Leighton Pugh

A French hunting term, denoting the portion of game thrown to the hounds who killed it, the novel’s original title La Curée (1872) neatly foreshadows Zola’s exploration of the rapacious, animalistic greed of the newly rich bourgeoisie during the Second Empire of Napoleon III. The main protagonist, Saccard, takes his own spoils from corrupt property speculation in the wake of Baron Haussmann’s radical reconstruction of Paris.

Against a backdrop of modernisation, extravagant luxury, political intrigue and sexual immorality, Saccard treats close relationships as money-making opportunities and loved ones as mere commodities. As one character puts it: ‘You see, everything is fine, as long as you make money from it.’

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

Public Domain (P)2025 Naxos AudioBooks UK Ltd.

one of Zola's best

Do look at the blurb on the accompanying PDF as it explains the title. the descriptions are delicious, Zola at his best, and the themes are not so superficial as they are in some of his still good but weaker novels. this is a fun read on top of all that. highly recommended!