The second book by Huysmans concerning the religious development of the novelist Durtal, who in the first book ("La-bas") experienced depravity and Satanism. In this book he struggles desperately to find a foothold in the Catholic faith. He is aided by his aesthetic sensitivities and the support of an understanding priest. But it is not until he undertakes a retreat in a Trappist monastery that he achieves depth of spiritual transformation. ( Peter Tucker)