Carole DeSanti

The Unruly Passions of Eugenie R. Carole DeSanti

The epic story of a young womans struggles during and after the Second Empire (1860–1871). Eugénie R., born in Frances foie gras country, follows the man she loves to Paris but is soon marooned, pregnant, and penniless. Forced to abandon her daughter, she spends the next ten years fighting to get her back. An outcast, Eugénie takes to the streets, navigating her way up from ruin and charting the treacherous waters of sexual commerce. Along the way she falls in love with an artist, a woman, and a revolutionary. The capital, the gleaming center of art and civilization in Europe, is enjoying its final years of wanton prosperity before galloping headlong into the Franco-Prussian War. For Eugénie it is a conflicted landscape. As the gates of the city close against the advancing army, Eugénie must make a decision between the people she loves most. This story is a testament to the power of love, friendship, and the art of self-creation.