La Rabouilleuse

"La Rabouilleuse" (The Black Sheep), is a 1842 novel by Honoré de Balzac as part of his series La Comédie humaine. It tells the story of the Bridau family, trying to regain their lost inheritance after a series of unfortunate mishaps. From the French Wiki of this page, it appears that Flore Brazier, the mistress of Jean-Jacques, calls herself 'la Rabouilleuse' and that it is a regional word for someone who stirs up the water in a river, more easily to catch fish such as crayfish. "(En français régional, une personne qui agite et trouble l’eau pour effrayer les écrevisses et les pêcher plus facilement)". The English title of the book therefore moves the focus from her to the two brothers.

Though for years an overlooked work in Balzac's canon, it has gained popularity and respect in recent years. The Guardian listed The Black Sheep 12 on its list of the 100 Greatest Novels of All Time.

The book was broadcast by BBC Radio 4 as its Classic Serial on Sunday 17 August and Sunday 24 August 2008, with actor Geoffrey Whitehead as the narrator.