Conscience — Volume 1

"Conscience — Volume 1" by Hector Malot is a book that kicks off with the story of Crozat, a guy who went from being poor to living the high life thanks to a good marriage, and now he throws these fancy parties for brainy types at his place. At these get-togethers, they get into heavy talks about what's right and wrong in society, what we owe to each other, and how our own sense of right and wrong can be messed up. We meet folks like Brigard, who has some pretty out-there ideas about conscience, and Saniel, a doctor who's dealing with money problems and feeling lost in life, and is struggling with the fundamental role of his conscience. Meanwhile, Saniel starts falling for Phillis, adding some romance to his struggles. The book seems ready to dig into some big questions about life, trying to get ahead, and how society can pressure us.