Justine was the Marquis de Sade's first novella written in 1787,
whilst imprisoned for two weeks in the Bastille. De Sade spent
spent many years incarcerated on charges of poisoning and sodomy,
yet was eventually indicted for blasphemy and obscenity at the
behest of Napoleon Bonaparte. Arrested and charged without trial
for Justine, de Sade was declared insane, despite Justine being
one of the more moderate examples of his literary legacy.
This novel shows the battle of virtue versus vice, where earning
your keep takes on fresh connotations and a titled lady holds a
lifetime of illicit secrets.