First published in 1991, this book radically challenged the view of Nana as the story of an old fashioned femme fatale and reinterprets her as a feminist heroine who manages to overturn patriarchy. The author shows how Nana confronts the traditional social order and offers an alternative version. This work gives not just an original approach to the heroine herself, but the story of Zola's struggle with his vision of her and the subversive values she represents. This book will be of interest to students of literature and feminism.