Annam: Novel

Set in 1788, a group of French monks and nuns embarks on a mission to Vietnam, where they face the challenges of preaching in a foreign land. As they receive news of the Revolution and the fate of their homeland, they undergo profound transformations, both spiritually and personally, amidst the trials of the jungle. The narrative, penned by a young Bataille, combines poetic simplicity with deep emotional resonance, reflecting on the unfulfilled hopes and tragedies of a pivotal historical moment before the French conquest of Saigon.