The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Bosco, Henri. Malicroix. New York Review Books, 2020.

Malicroix is divided into eight chapters placed in chronological order describing Martial Megremut’s inheritance of his uncle Cornelius Malicroix’s property located in the Camargue region of France, on an island of silt in the Rhone river. Martial Megremut, a young man in his twenties, leaves his idyllic home in Le Castelet and his loving family to travel to the untamed wilderness where his uncle’s property is located. Martial narrates his experiences himself in the first person.

The plot begins to unfold when Martial arrives at Cornelius’ house in the middle of the night. It is a place of sparse accommodations. He becomes acquainted with Balandran, Cornelius’ loyal servant and shepherd, who waits on him during his stay. Some time later, Cornelius’ notaire, Dromiols, arrives on the island with his clerk, Uncle Rat. Cornelius discloses to Martial the terms of Malicroix’s will, which necessitate that Martial must remain on the island without leaving for a period of three months before the property legally falls into his possession. During this visit, Dromiols relates to Martial an important episode from the Malicroix family history regarding their rivalry with the neighboring Rambards. Through Dromiols’ behavior and words, Martial grows suspicious of the notaire’s intentions.

After the departure of Dromiols and Uncle Rat, Martial acquaints himself with the island, exploring its riverbanks and wilderness. During his stay he is subject to dreaming and hallucination stemming from his raw experience of nature. As he begins to embrace the lifestyle of Le Redousse, Balandran comes to accept Martial as the true heir to Cornelius’ property. As Martial embraces his Malicroix characteristics, he feels himself becoming estranged from his former life with his family in Le Castelet. He begins to notice as well that he has stopped receiving mail from his family. After a period of indecision, Martial resolves to remain on the island for the three month period stipulated in the will. He does so in part because he senses that Dromiols is trying to drive him away from the island.

As time passes, Martial becomes more and more paranoid about the threat posed by Dromiols and Uncle Rat. One night, Martial goes out into the wilderness to track sounds that he thinks he is hearing. He loses consciousness and wakes up later in his bed recovering from a severe fever. He finds that he is being cared for by a woman. The woman tells him that it was Uncle Rat who saved him the night on which he lost his consciousness.

After Martial recovers, Balandran leaves the island to tend to some sick ewes. Balandran does not return however for a number of days. The woman, whose name is Anne-Madeleine, tells the narrator that Dromiols and the Rambards are holding Balandran captive at the old Malicroix estate, La Regregue. Balandran eventually turns up severely ill in the narrator’s bed where he convalesces.

During Balandran’s convalescence, Martial learns from another document from Cornelius assigning him a final trial that he must complete in order to come into possession of his Malicroix blood. In the trial, Martial must execute a dangerous maneuver on the ferry, cutting it free, and steering it clear from a rock at the tip of the island, in order to make the ferryman confess to his role in the sinking of the ferry on Cornelius’ wedding night. Martial defers the trial until the Summer. In the meantime he returns to Le Castelet to visit his family. He is allowed to leave the island without penalty since he has fulfilled the requisite three month stay.

After he returns from visiting his family, Martial completes the trial on the ferry, and makes it safely to shore, where Anne-Madeleine waits to embrace him.