The result of the latest Classics Club Spin has been revealed today.
The idea of the Spin was to list twenty books from my Classics Club list, number them 1 to 20, and the number announced by the Classics Club represents the book I have to read before 31st May. The number that has been selected is…
11
And this means the book I need to read is…
Germinal by Émile Zola
The thirteenth novel in Émile Zola’s great Rougon-Macquart sequence, Germinal expresses outrage at the exploitation of the many by the few, but also shows humanity’s capacity for compassion and hope.
Etienne Lantier, an unemployed railway worker, is a clever but uneducated young man with a dangerous temper. Forced to take a back-breaking job at Le Voreux mine when he cannot get other work, he discovers that his fellow miners are ill, hungry, in debt, and unable to feed and clothe their families. When conditions in the mining community deteriorate even further, Lantier finds himself leading a strike that could mean starvation or salvation for all.
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I’m happy with this result as I’ve been wanting to read Germinal for such a long time. I enjoyed the other two books I’ve read by Zola (The Ladies’ Paradise and Thérèse Raquin) and I know this one is usually considered to be his best, so I’m really looking forward to it.
If you took part in the spin too, I hope you got a good result!
She Reads Novels 
Oh nice! I’m hoping to get to Zola soon! 😀
I’ve really enjoyed the little I’ve read of Zola so far!
I am fascinated by the sound of this. I have read almost nothing of French literature. I’ll look forward to your review.
It does sound good! I’m hoping to start it in the next few days.
Ooh, that’s interesting. I don’t think I have read any Zola. I got The Brothers Karamazov, which I had frankly already begun reading. It’s taking me about a week. When I put it on my list, I forgot that it was more than 900 pages long.
I knew The Brothers Karamazov was long but I didn’t know it was 900 pages! I hope it’s good.
Well, let’s just say it’s sort of fascinating, in a very strange way.
I haven’t read any Zola so I’ll be interested in your thoughts, hope the reading goes well. The House of the Seven Gables for me!
I haven’t read The House of the Seven Gables – I hope you enjoy it!
One can’t go wrong with Zola!
I’m glad to hear that!
This is an interesting challenge but sort of reminds me of my sister’s comment when I talk about attacking my TBR – if I really wanted to read them, wouldn’t I have read them already?
Yes, that’s true – although I think once your TBR starts to spiral out of control, it becomes physically impossible to keep up with reading everything you really want to read!
I didn’t officially write out a list but I see No 11 on my Classics Club TBR titles happens to be a collection of Edith Nesbit’s supernatural tales, so I think I may go with that! Good luck with Zola — I struggle with doorstopper classics these days I’m afraid, I no longer skim through them as I was wont to do in my youth!
I use to love immersing myself in a long book, but now I tend to find myself thinking of how many shorter books I could have read in the same length of time. I’m still looking forward to reading the Zola though!
Hope this turns out to be a great read. I just finished reading Zola’s The Ladies’ Paradise and really enjoyed it. 🙂
I liked The Ladies’ Paradise too. This one sounds very different, but I’m looking forward to it.
That’s my favourite by Zola although it’s a bit grim at times.
It does sound grim, but a lot of people seem to name it as a favourite Zola. I’m hoping to start it soon.
I will be interested in your thoughts. I have not read this, but I want to.
I’ve been wanting to read it for years, so I’m very happy it came up in the spin!
I hope you will enjoy this Helen 🙂
Thank you, Jessica. I have just started it today. 🙂