En Route

A weary soul. A life haunted by sin. A reluctant journey toward faith.Durtal has grown disgusted with the decadence of modern life and increasingly troubled by the emptiness of his own past. Drawn almost against his will toward the Catholic faith, he seeks refuge in the churches of Paris, where sacred music, ancient liturgy, religious art, and the writings of the mystics awaken something within him that reason alone cannot explain. Yet belief brings no immediate peace. Durtal remains tormented by doubt, temptation, memories of former sins, and the fear that he may be incapable of the spiritual life he desires.Under the guidance of a priest, Durtal leaves Paris for a retreat among the Trappist monks, entering a world of silence, prayer, austerity, confession, and contemplation. There, confronted with both the severity of monastic life and the depths of his own conscience, he struggles toward repentance and reconciliation with God. Intense, introspective, and rich with discussions of mysticism, Gregorian chant, sacred art, and the religious life, J. K. Huysmans's En Route is a powerful exploration of conversion and the difficult passage from spiritual desolation toward faith.