François le Bossu

by Sophie Ségur

"François le Bossu" by comtesse de Sophie Ségur is a novel published as a serial beginning in 1864. It tells the story of François de Nancé, a ten-year-old boy who becomes hunchbacked after a fall, and his friendship with six-year-old Christine des Ormes, a neglected girl mistreated by her governess. When Christine's parents leave for Paris, she finds refuge with François's loving father. The novel explores themes of education, resilience, and the idea that true worth lies beyond physical appearance.