Jan 2026 The Sin of Abbe Mouret Book 1-Chapter 1-17

I have d/l the Kindle Oxford Version. The book is divided into 3 sections and chapters within the sections. A friend of mine says her older copy does not have chapters, just section. So I have divided the discussion first by sections and then by chapters contained within those sections. It should work!

Oops, I need to get a copy of the book before Christmas!

We are following Octave's siblings this time around: Abbé Serge Mouret and Désirée Mouret. I was wondering if we'd find out more about them after they were sent off in Conquete de Plassans. Also wondering if in this book there will finally be some reaction to their parents' death or if Zola will ignore that detail yet again.

Really enjoying this one so far. I love when Zola leaves Paris to focus on the countryside as France is not limited to the borders of Paris.

Chp 4
En entrant dans les ordres, ayant perdu son père et sa mère le même jour, à la suite d'un drame dont il ignorait encore les épouvantes, il avait laissé à un frère aîné toute la fortune.

So he is aware of the fate of his parents although he doesn't know how they died. And he is aware of Octave's fortunes. It actually makes sense that with his greed for success, Octave would not have taken the time to check up on his family and that is why there is no mention of them in Bonheur des Dames.

Chp 5
Can we throw Frere Archangias into a river with rocks tied to his feet yet? His destroying the birds nest made me want to punch him in the face then he just kept going with his horrible-ness.

- Laissez donc! monsieur le curé, de la graine de damnés, ces crapauds-là! On devrait leur casser les reins, pour les rendre agréables à Dieu. Ils poussent dans l'irréligion, comme leurs pères. (...) Ils sont tout à la terre, à leurs vignes, à leurs oliviers. Pas un qui mette le pied à l'église. Des brutes qui se battent avec leurs champs de cailloux!... Menez-moi ça à coups de bâton, monsieur le curé, à coups de bâton!

To call the tillers of the earth beasts simply because they don't go to church. To think that reading a single book your entire life, comfortable in the confines of a church, as taxes and constituents' money pays for your idle lifestyle, makes a man think he is above everyone else simply because God is on his side. Disgusting.

Allez, on a beau leur tirer les oreilles jusqu'au sang, la femme pousse toujours en elles. Elles ont la damnation dans leurs jupes. Des créatures bonnes à jeter au fumier, avec leurs saletés qui empoisonnent! Ça serait un fameux débarras, si l'on étranglait toutes les filles à leur naissance.

Yes, yes, get rid of all the women because of their loose skirts!

Chp 6
I was rooting for the father saying that his daughter or any woman doesn't need to marry just because they got laid. Then he started throwing mud at her so that feeling went away.

Chp 7
- A propos, j'ai vu ton frère Octave, à Marseille, le mois passé. Il va partir pour Paris, il aura là-bas une belle situation dans le haut commerce. Ah! le gaillard, il mène une jolie vie!

Introduction of Dr. Pascal Rougon, a character who will get his own book in closing out the series. He mentions having seen Octave a month back as he was leaving for Paris which gives us an indication of the timeline. Although, I guess we already knew fairly well where we were just by knowing Abbe Mouret's age.

The end of part 1 ends with a feverish moment talking about our Abbe's relationship with the Virgin Mary. It's interesting to compare his religious fervor to that of Angelique's in Le Reve. Any thoughts?

In any case, I have finished part 1 so off I go to the part 2 thread!

>5 lilisin: I've not yet go to the end of part 1, but I thought that Angelique's religious fervor was misplaced desire. In the case of Angelique, I think she transferred her love of Christ into her love for __________, her intended. She almost romanticized holiness (for lack of a better phrase!) She preferred religious fantasy (perfect and nothing "messy") over real-life relationships.

After finishing book 1, I feel initial sorrow for Father Mouret. What a miserable life. Definitely repressed sexual desires, lack of any enthusiasm for things of life, and a parish who is apathetic. His health deteriorates due to exhaustion and repression. His spiritual fervor reaches an unsustainable level, suggesting a future collapse. The reader senses that the spiritual life he has chosen cannot endure without consequences. I think I can feel that Zola hints that Mouret's flaws are hereditary.

I’m just starting this. Excited to get back to the group reads after taking two books off that I had read recently.

I have also started now. Spending the first two chapters on the minutae of Catholic Mass is a bold move, but I liked how he used it to show the poverty of the parish.

Chapter 14 acquaints us with Mouret’s obsession with the Virgin, and I found this overwhelming and over the top. Just like the over-information on embroidery in Le rêve, to be honest.

I just finished this section. I like the country setting and the characters introduced, but, wow, the commentary on animals and women and the long passages about Mouret's Virgin Mary obsession are a bit much.
>10 MissWatson: good comparison to the embroidery descriptions!

This is one of the books that feels like "part of the series" rather than a full standalone.

Have finally dipped my toe into La faute de l’Abbé Mouret after completing several worthy but unengaging books with prior claims. How enjoyable to be in Zola’s narrative world, where closely observed external details draw you into the psychology of his characters.

Have finished Part I. Very reminiscent of La Rève, although Abbé Mouret’s devotion doesn’t seem to require the support of beautiful architecture, stained glass, or ecclesiastical embroidery. Zola’s deep dive into Marian piety was impressive, if unexpected. I’m no Freudian, but I suspect that Abbé Mouret’s fervent prayer in chapter 17 to return to pre-pubescence foretells something explosive.

A little late to the party, but at the party none-the-less! I skipped the intervening two books in order to read this with y'all, so I'm coming to it fresh from The Conquest of Plassans. I can't help but compare Serge's religious fervor with his mother's. Both have repressed sexual desires and both focus their religiosity on a single person (Father Faujas and the Virgin Mary). We were only given glimpses of Marthe's internal state, here we see almost nothing but Serge's. Marthe craved the harshness of Faujas, Serge craves the maternal love of the Virgin. Strange parallels. I'm also reminded of The Kill with Aristide and Félicité's conservatory with the plants that represented sex and sin, much as Le Paradou seems to do. At least twice in this section, Serge has expressed the desire to be unsexed, neutered, or at least feminized. In this I am reminded of how Maxime was described.

As for The Dream, with Angelique, I saw a lonely, isolated girl who sought companionship with the Saints, which immediately gives way when a human suitor appears. In contrast in Abbe Mouret, I see a young man who desperately seeks isolation through his communion with the Virgin Mary. He wants to disappear in her whiteness, in her silence, and be transported away from the world. His greatest joy is being alone in his cell and wishes he could be a hermit. Angelique wanted friends, Serge wants self-annihilation.

>14 labfs39: good point about the parallels between Serge and Marthe.

Curious to see what you ultimately think about this one!

>15 japaul22: Well, book two definitely starts in a different place. Wasn't expecting that!

>16 labfs39: I know! I was wondering if I missed something when I started that part.

>14 labfs39: Yes indeed, that was a timely reminder about Marthe!