This book was described in another I read as being semi-fictional - having read it, I can see what they mean. In places, the author imagines how things must have been between people where no record exists of their interactions or in some cases their private thoughts and emotions.

The book starts off as being about the campaign against Urbain Grandier, a parish priest in the town of Loudun who was unpopular with many influential men due to his arrogance - he once insisted on precedence in a church parade over a visiting prelate who was technically his superior (something that cost him dearly years later when the man he snubbed had great power and a long memory for a grudge) - and his tendency to seduce female parishioners. The clergy had always had a poor reputation up until the middle ages, with many monks etc having common law wives, but by the 17th century, the Catholic church was trying to clean up its house as part of the Counter Reformation. Grandier's tendency to be his own worst enemy told against him when he made an implacable enemy out of a former friend due to this behaviour. He was also advised on a couple of occasions to obtain a posting elsewhere and leave town, but would not believe that his enemies could prevail against him. The author believes he loved disputation too much - he was embroiled in various court cases - but this can only be guesswork.

Originally thwarted in their attempts to ruin him, his enemies finally came up with the more drastic idea of staging a demonic possession of the local nuns who had become obsessed with his reputation although they had never actually seen him. The nuns blamed Grandier who became condemned as a sorceror, and the author spells out the involvement of various enemies of Grandier's and their cynicism in accusing him. His fate is truly horrific. The book then rather loses focus as it meanders on, describing the subsequent career of the various actors involved in the possessions, and includes a lot of material on a priest called Surin who was called in subsequently and had his own neuroses which became much worse due to his involvement. An appendix gives the author's ideas on the psychology of crowds and mass hysteria although rather belabouring the point I felt.

A weakness of the book is that there are no footnotes as would be usual in a historical account. There is only a bibliography of works consulted. So it isn't possible to tell exactly what certain assertions by the author are based upon. There is also quite a lot of untranslated French, references to very obscure people in history, and a lot of material at one point about spirituality but written in a style rather like Pseud's Corner from Private Eye. So although the material about Grandier is fascinating, the book balances out overall for me at a 3 star rating. ( )

It was relatively easy to immerse myself in this (a French version of Arthur Miller's "The Crucible")-- the story of Urbain Grandier and the various personalities of Loudun. Huxley also provides a psychological / religious analysis of the historical events surrounding / related to the witchcraft, possessions and exorcisms occurring in 17th century Loudun, France. I'd never heard of this book until I saw an Off Off Broadway production based on this story at the Brick Theatre, Williamsburg, Brooklyn in August 2010 (directed by Ian Hill). That production focused on Grandier, his scandalous affairs and his eventually being burned at the stake for witchcraft. Sister Jeanne's possession is also a part of "The Devils of Loudun", and her tale continues on beyond Grandier's execution. Jeanne ultimately becomes a saint and is carted around France as a kind of religiously-sanctioned side/freak show (in much the same way crowds of people came to witness and be entertained by her possession by supposed devils in Loudun).

Another major player in this work is Father Surin, who appears after Grandier's death as Sister Jeanne's "exorcisor" -- Huxley also gives the reader background on Surin, before Surin is actually introduced to the plot. The incredibly pious Surin crosses over to the dark side and eventually achieves "purification" -- his self-inflicted torture leads to his redemption. Surin becomes emotionally catatonic for 18 years as a result of his involvement in the exorcism of Sister Jeanne, but recovers and goes on to author at least two books. Surin's soul-searching is so thorough that he practically "negates his soul" before he digs himself out of the hole and moves towards the light.

My only major criticism of this book is Chapter Three; it was difficult to stay with, as it involved the deconstruction of various aspects of faith and religion -- in this chapter, Huxley gives the reader background, from both modern and 17th century perspectives, into the themes discussed in this work. The drawback being that Chapter Three distracts from the momentum and through line of the entire story. Conversely -- the epilogue -- a continuation of Chapter Three -- effectively summarizes Huxley's concepts / subtext related to this novel -- via a comparison of the psychology / attitudes of contemporary man to that of the 17th century European. French and Latin asides and notes are sprinkled liberally through out the text, which I found to be enjoyable from a linguistic perspective. ( )

H1.1.4

How low can you go? I kept asking myself this while flipping the pages. The story focuses on the true story of a group of nuns and an entire region that has it out for one man simply because of jealousy. It is hard to review it without spoiling it. But the story is tragic and sad. Wanting to destroy what you cannot have. It seems to be a common trait with the human species. Sadly for our protagonist it ends in tragedy. This book is the base for "The Devils" that oh so controversial film starring Oliver Reed and Vanessa Redgrave. ( )

In early 17th century France, the nuns in a convent all begin to act possessed by devils. The local pastor is accused of being a sorcerer in league with the devil based upon the "testimony" of the devils as told to the exorcists. The possessed nuns even become a tourist attraction bringing thousands to see them acting possessed. The pastor is tried and burned at the stake.

Aldous Huxley provides a detailed analysis of these events and concludes that the possession of the nuns was caused more by the suggestions of the exorcists than any actual possession. The book includes long essays on religious devotion and possession. It also includes very graphic descriptions of the torture and burning of the pastor.

The final essay compares the events in Loudon to herd intoxication and crowd-delirium that shows parallels to contemporary political events.

The book is interesting albeit very boring in parts. It is nevertheless well worth reading. ( )