The Catalans: A Novel"One of the best novelists since Jane Austen."—Philadelphia Inquirer This novel is a powerful successor to Testimonies, Patrick O'Brian's first novel written for adults. It is set in that corner of France that became O'Brian's adopted home, where the long, dark wall of the Pyrenees runs headlong to meet the Mediterranean. Alain Roig returns to Saint-Féliu after years in the East and finds his family in crisis. His dour, middle-aged cousin Xavier, the mayor and most powerful citizen of the town, has fallen in love and plans to marry Madeleine, the young daughter of the local grocer. The Roig family property is threatened by this union, and Madeleine's relatives object on different grounds.Xavier is a tragic figure, damned by what he perceives as a lack of feeling; Madeleine is to be his salvation. Unfortunately she does not return his affection, and, as the feasts and harvest festivals of Saint-Féliu are played out, she finds herself falling in love with Alain. |
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Common terms and phrases
alain Amphitrite anchovies asked aunt Margot aunt Marinette Bacchanalia Banyuls began boat Camairerrou Carignan Catalans certainly child clear cold Collioure Côme cork oaks course cousin dance dark dear Dédé Dominique door doubt espadrilles eyes face Fajals family’s father feel felt Francisco girl gone grapes Grenache hand hard head heard heart hurried kind knew leaning Légion d’Honneur little boy looked Madeleine Madeleine’s man’s Marcel marriage marry Mimi mind Monsieur Xavier muscat never night once one’s painting passed path pause perhaps Perpignan Port-Vendres Pou-naou replied roig round Saint-Féliu sardana secateurs seen semal side silence sitting smile stared stone stood strange street suppose sure talking tell thing thought tion tisane took tower town trees turned vendanges vine vineyards voice walk wall wine women wonder word young woman