The Confession of a Child of the Century

The Napoleonic Wars are over. Octave, a young Parisian, loves his mistress Elise - until he witnesses her being unfaithful. In despair, he descends into decadence and libertinism. However, the death of his father takes Octave to the countryside where he falls in love with Brigitte, a young widow who spends most of her days caring for others. This is a new translation by David Coward, and the official tie-in edition to accompany a film version starring Charlotte Gainsbourg, Pete Doherty and Lily Cole.