{"product_id":"sarrasine-9798888972953","title":"Sarrasine","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eSarrasine\u003c\/i\u003e (1831) is a novella by French author Honoré de Balzac. Written as part of his \u003ci\u003eLa Comédie humaine\u003c\/i\u003e sequence, \u003ci\u003eSarrasine\u003c\/i\u003e is one of Balzac’s earliest works published without a pseudonym and helped to establish his reputation as a serious writer and distinguished member of Parisian high society. Noted for its controversial exploration of homosexuality and castration, Balzac’s novella would become the subject of Roland Barthe’s groundbreaking work of literary criticism, \u003ci\u003eS\/Z\u003c\/i\u003e (1970).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eComposed as a frame narrative, \u003ci\u003eSarrasine\u003c\/i\u003e begins during a ball at the mansion of the wealthy Monsieur de Lanty. The unnamed narrator, from a window overlooking the garden, listens to the conversations of partygoers and watches as his guest, Beatrix Rochefide, is approached by a mysterious older man. The next night, the narrator tells Beatrix a story involving the man, a respected member of de Lanty’s circle. He begins with the life of Ernest-Jean Sarrasine, a successful young sculptor who, on a trip to Rome, fell in love with an opera star named Zambinella. Convinced she represents the ideal feminine form, he rejects Zambinella’s misgivings and vague excuses, becoming increasingly obsessed with the beautiful singer. Devising a plan to kidnap Zambinella during a party at the French embassy, Sarrasine discovers the truth: the singer is a castrato, a classical operatic performer who was selected and castrated before puberty. \u003ci\u003eSarrasine\u003c\/i\u003e, a powerful novella, explores themes of idealization and obsession while illuminating the conflation of sex and gender.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis edition of Honoré de Balzac’s \u003ci\u003eSarrasine\u003c\/i\u003e is a classic of French literature reimagined for modern readers.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSince our inception in 2020, \u003cb\u003eMint Editions\u003c\/b\u003e has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n \n\u003cp\u003eWith thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Honoré de Balzac","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48543073566971,"sku":"9798888972953","price":9.74,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0779\/3917\/9771\/files\/CoreSourceHub_addf9003-c065-4d61-b689-03f44ea580db.jpg?v=1774191157","url":"https:\/\/indiepubs.com\/products\/sarrasine-9798888972953","provider":"IndiePubs","version":"1.0","type":"link"}