The Mysteries of Paris, illustrated with etchings, Vol. 1

"The Mysteries of Paris" by Eugène Sue is a serialized novel written in the early 19th century. The story delves into the underbelly of Parisian society, exploring themes of crime, poverty, and survival through a cast of colorful characters. The narrative prominently features the mysterious and heroic figure of Rodolph, a man with a concealed past who becomes entwined with the lives of downtrodden individuals like La Goualeuse, a young girl struggling to escape her grim reality. At the start of the novel, the scene is set on a rainy night in Paris, where a man, later revealed as Rodolph, intervenes to help La Goualeuse from a menacing character known as the Chourineur. Their encounter unfolds in the dark streets of the Cité, a notorious area rife with crime and desperation. As Rodolph displays formidable strength in defending La Goualeuse, a sense of camaraderie begins to form between the two. The opening chapters intricately depict a grim reality filled with threats, struggles for survival, and the early formation of unlikely alliances, leaving the reader intrigued by the characters' fates and the secrets that surround them. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Marie-Joseph "Eugène" Sue was a French novelist. He was one of several authors who popularized the genre of the serial novel in France with his very popular and widely imitated The Mysteries of Paris, which was published in a newspaper from 1842 to 1843.