Mysteries of Paris — Volume 02

"Mysteries of Paris — Volume 02" by Eugène Sue is a novel that explores the dark side of 19th-century Parisian society through the trials of Jerome Morel, a skilled artisan, and his family. Facing crushing debt, Morel's world is shattered when ruthless bailiffs threaten to imprison him, which throws his family into despair. The story vividly portrays the social inequalities of the time, highlighting the extreme hardships endured by the poor, further devastated by the tragic death of Morel's daughter. A potential savior appears in the form of Rudolph, offering a fragile beacon of hope amidst the family's struggles, but is ultimately overshadowed by the ominous anticipation of continued adversities, which establishes the premise for later events in the story.