The action of the novel unfolds during the French Revolution, in the closing months of 1799. At its core lies an episode from the struggle between the republican forces and the Chouans, led by royalist nobles and Catholic clergy.

In this work, the author succeeds in weaving together romance and reality, history and invention. Balzac offers a precise characterization of the uprising in France, elucidating its underlying causes. He shows why the royalists were able to rally the local peasantry to their side, sheds light on the counter-revolutionary role of the clergy, and examines the distinctive tactics employed by the insurgents.

By the conclusion, the author guides the reader to the realization of the republicans’ inevitable victory over the rebels.

The Chouans is an unusual novel: whites and blues, royalists and republicans, clash with relentless ferocity, fighting each other with unyielding passion.