Kumla Bibliotek

Referencing Victor Hugo, author of ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame,’ ‘Châli’ is an equally tragic love story.

Admiral de la Vallée tells of the time he was sent to Central India, as part of an expedition. There, he is introduced to the prince, Rajah Maddan, and a host of customs that take him far outside of his comfort zone.

The Admiral is presented with a harem but cannot take it upon himself to use the young women as is expected of him. When he gives one of the girls, Châli, a gift, he unwittingly sets a chain of heart-breaking events in motion.

‘Châli’ will delight fans of other tragic love stories such as Shakespeare's ´Romeo and Juliet´ and Emily Brontë's ´Wuthering Heights´.

Hailed as one of the pioneers of the modern short story, Henri Ren Albert Guy de Maupassant (1850 - 1893) was born in Dieppe, France. After his parents’ divorce, Maupassant was cared for by his mother who had a passion for literature.

During his secondary education, he was introduced to the acclaimed novelist, Gustave Flaubert, who was to play a prominent part in Maupassant’s literary career.

The Franco-Prussian War saw the author enlist in the Navy, and his experiences influenced many of his books, including ‘Boule de Suif.’ Flaubert was to take him under his wing after the war, introducing him to realist and naturalist authors, such as Émile Zola and Ivan Turgenev.