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Le Roi des montagnes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Le Roi des montagnes ("The king of the mountains") is a French-language novel published in 1857 by Edmond About.[1] A film adaptation starring Lucile Saint-Simon and Claude Rollet was released in 1962. A Rand McNally edition of 1897 was translated into English by Mrs. C. [Carlton] A. Kingsbury.[2]

Summary

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A young German botanist fresh out of the University is sent to Greece by the Hamburg Botanical Garden to study flora. In search of rare plants, he met two English women, a mother and her daughter, on the road that leads to the Parnitha. All three are abducted by a band of brigands led by Hatzistavros, "the king of the mountains", known for his cruelty. The wealthy old English lady refuses to pay the ransom, and the botanist, loving the daughter, tries several times to escape. The narrator presents a vivid account of brigandry and corruption mid- 18th century Athens, however, western colonialist incorrect thought is also evident in the book.

References

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  1. ^ Angus James Wrenn (1 January 2009). Henry James and the Second Empire. MHRA. p. 31. ISBN 978-1-906540-07-4.
  2. ^ "The King of the Mountains 1897 Edmond About ~ Novel of bandit gang around Athens Greece ~ Le Roi des montagnes". Boyd Used and Rare books. Retrieved 20 September 2024.