Là-bas by J.-K. Huysmans

First published in 1891, J.-K. Huysmans’s Là-bas (translated as Down There) is a controversial and haunting novel that explores the world of occultism and Satanism in fin-de-siècle France. The story follows Durtal, a disillusioned writer who becomes fascinated by the life of the medieval child-murderer Gilles de Rais and drifts into the dark underworld of contemporary occult practices. Blending meticulous historical research with a deeply personal, introspective narrative, Huysmans offers a chilling exploration of spiritual despair, decadence, and the lure of forbidden knowledge. Provocative and atmospheric, Là-bas remains a powerful example of Symbolist and Decadent literature.