“Germinal” is a novel by Émile Zola, a French writer, publicist, and political figure. The book is part of the “Rougon-Macquart” series.
Former mechanic Étienne Lantier arrives in the town of Montsou, where he starts working in a mine. There he falls in love with Catherine, the daughter of a miner. Living and working conditions in the mine rapidly worsen, and the workers declare a strike. Étienne becomes the leader of the strikers. He hopes he can change the workers’ lives for the better, but the strike only makes things worse. Tension grows, leading to pogroms, beatings, and even more serious consequences…