Product Description

J.-K. Huysmans's gaudy, shocking, and largely autobiographical novel, The Damned (Là-Bas) was quickly condemned and just as quickly achieved cult status. It follows Durtal, a shy, censorious man, who is writing a biography of Gilles de Rais, the fifteenth-century nobleman, child-murderer, and supposed model for "Bluebeard." Bored and disgusted by the vulgarity of everyday life, Durtal seeks spiritual solace by immersing himself in another age. But when he meets the exquisitely evil Madame Chantelouve, he is drawn inextricably into the twilight world of black magic and erotic devilry in fin-de-siècle Paris.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #64826 in Books
• Published on: 2005-12-01
• Original language: French
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

About the Author
Joris-Karl Huysmans (1848-1907) is now recognized as one of the most challenging and innovative figures in European literature and an acknowledged principal architect of the fin-de-siècle imagination. He was a career civil servant who wrote ten novels, most notably A Rebours and Là-Bas.

Customer Reviews

The lure of darkness
This book is about late nights in dark garrets, intelligent discussions on the practice of satanism, and the imperious power of sexual dreams. The hero, Durtal, is writing a biography of Bluebeard- that Gilles de Rais who was both a Marshall of France and the killer of so many children at Tiffauges castle. The subject matter unbalances Durtal and he is himself driven towards exploring the darkness. I recommend it highly to those looking for unusual books, and the decadent fringes of C19th Paris.

La Bas is part of a trilogy in which Durtal appears to lose himself and then comes back to God, in the second volume, after a stay at the Monastery of La Trappe (for which read 'En Route').

Not For Everyone
Huysmans' novel is a bit different from most books that you buy. If you are expecting a gory type of horror novel then you will be sorely disappointed.

This book is about Durtal, who is writing a biography of Gilles de Rais and his attrocious crimes. He spends most of the novel talking about his book, writing styles, religion, and mysticism. He usually discourses amongst his friends at a bell ringer's apartment.

Over half way through the book there is a bit of sex thrown in, and Durtal eventually gets to witness a Black Mass. So why would you read this book? The book ranges from the ridiculous to the absurd, with its arcane subject matter. The actual story isn't really what holds this book together but rather Huysmans' writing technique and narrative style. To be honest, Huysman could have written about going to buy a loaf of bread, and he would have still produced an emminently readable book.

Faith & Passion in Evil
La Bas is about Durtal, a second grade writer penning the biography of Gilles de Rais. Gilles is a 14th c. character who fought the English alongside Joan of Arc. Somewhere along the way however, Gilles goes bananas and starts kidnapping, raping and then murdering beautiful young boys in a satanic orgy that ran to vampirism and cannibalism. La Bas recounts Gilles' misdeeds extensively through Durtal's thoughts. The rest of the book presents a number of fantastical conversations on occultism, Catholicism, astrology, medicine, magic, Satan worship and such like. Some readers may find certain sections deeply disturbing.

I found it interesting that Huysmans based his book on real evidence of occultism in 19th c. France where people believed in superstitious voodoo and spiritualism: séances and the ability of some people to change into cats or send curses through the ether. In France! I thought these beliefs only existed in Africa.

A few other themes get the treatment: the gullibility of the poor masses; the total capitulation of society to business interests and commercial profit; the charlatans of the medical profession (which actually helps one understand the need for something like the U.S Food & Drug Agency); and finally, that woman is fickle and sly, evil and sinful. Mme. Chantelouve arrives out of nowhere and seduces Durtal. After Durtal "took possession" of her body he found her "repugnant" and why not, since she "initiated him into obscenities". Even the book's back cover calls her "exquisitely evil" when there was nothing overwhelmingly evil about her. Wicked misogyny.