Conflagration

In April 1734, a devastating fire in Montreal's merchant quarters destroyed 46 buildings, including a convent and hospital, leading to rampant rumors that Marie-Joseph Angélique, an enslaved Black woman, had ignited the flames alongside her white lover, Claude Thibault. Arrested and facing a biased legal system without a lawyer, Angélique steadfastly denied her involvement, despite being tortured into a forced confession. As Philippe Archambeau, a court clerk observing her case, grows increasingly convinced of her innocence, the truth behind the fire becomes more complex and compelling. Through Angélique's harrowing journey, the narrative explores themes of injustice, resilience, and the struggle for freedom.