Bressant: A Novel

"Bressant: A Novel" by Julian Hawthorne is a story set in the late 1800s that follows an old professor, Valeyon, and his two daughters, Cornelia and Sophie, whose calm home life is disrupted by a mysterious figure called Bressant. The book looks at what it means to be part of a family, especially the bond between a father and his daughters, and the desire for something new. At the beginning, readers meet Professor Valeyon as he quietly reflects on life in his garden, but his peace is broken when his daughters receive an invitation to go to New York. While one daughter thrives with enthusiasm at the prospect of leaving, change is difficult for the other, ultimately causing tension as the professor considers what is best for his children's happiness.