A rebours

Illustrated by Auguste Leroux

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"A rebours" by J.-K. Huysmans is a novel published in 1884. It follows Jean des Esseintes, the last member of a decaying aristocratic family, who withdraws from Parisian society to pursue a life of pure aesthetic contemplation in isolation. The narrative chronicles his eccentric experiments with art, literature, perfumes, and exotic collections as he attempts to create an artificial paradise. This groundbreaking work broke from Naturalism to become the defining example of Decadent literature, profoundly influencing writers like Oscar Wilde.

Summary written by Project Gutenberg, by machine.