''The Abyssinian'' () is a 1997 historical adventure novel by
Jean-Christophe Rufin.
Plot introduction
''The Abyssinian'' tells the story of a young French physician who is sent as part of a diplomatic mission to
Abyssinia
Abyssinia (; also known as Abyssinie, Abissinia, Habessinien, or Al-Habash) was an ancient region in the Horn of Africa situated in the northern highlands of modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea.Sven Rubenson, The survival of Ethiopian independence, ...
in the early eighteenth century. Along the way he must face various perils while trying to win over his true love.
Characters in "The Abyssinian"
* Jean-Baptiste Poncet: a French apothecarian who has been practicing medicine without a formal license.
* Maître Juremi: a colleague of Jean-Baptiste who has fled France because of his
Protestant
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
religious beliefs
* Monsieur de Maillet: the French consul in
Cairo
Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
* Monsieur de Macé: an expert linguist who works for Monsieur de Maillet
External links
Amazon.com: Reviews
1997 French novels
French adventure novels
French historical novels
Novels set in Ethiopia
W. W. Norton & Company books
1997 debut novels
{{1990s-adventure-novel-stub