First published in French as 'L'Appel au Soldat,' this part of Barrès's 'Le Roman de l'Énergie Nationale' trilogy was later translated into German with the more provocative title 'Der Mord an der Jungfrau.' It’s less a straightforward crime novel and more a deep, atmospheric study of a society in crisis.

The Story

The book is set in the Lorraine region of France after the country's devastating loss to Prussia in 1870-71. The town is occupied, humiliated, and simmering with resentment. When a local young woman is killed, the tragedy acts like a lightning rod for all the town's pent-up fear and anger. Suspicion immediately falls on the occupying soldiers, but Barrès shows us that the lines between victim and aggressor, patriot and villain, are dangerously blurry. The investigation becomes a mirror, reflecting the town's own fractured soul and the dangerous myths it clings to for survival.

Why You Should Read It

Forget a fast-paced thriller. The power here is in the mood Barrès creates. You can almost feel the damp cold of the town and the weight of its collective despair. The 'murder' plot is the engine, but the real journey is into the hearts and minds of the citizens. Barrès was fascinated by the idea of 'rootedness'—how our identity is tied to our land and history—and here he shows it curdling into something toxic. It’s a stark, sometimes uncomfortable look at how patriotism can turn into scapegoating and how a community can become its own worst enemy in the search for a savior or a sinner.

Final Verdict

This book is perfect for readers who love historical fiction that gets under the skin of an era. If you enjoyed the moral complexities of Graham Greene or the social dissection of Émile Zola, you'll find a lot to chew on here. It’s also a great pick for anyone interested in the psychological aftermath of war, not just the battles. Fair warning: it’s a thoughtful, character-driven novel, not an action-packed mystery. But if you let its slow, deliberate pace pull you in, you’ll be left with a story that sticks with you, asking tough questions about belonging, blame, and the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of chaos.