Aline and Valcour

Aline et Valcour; ou, Le Roman philosophique is an epistolary novel by the Marquis de Sade. It contrasts a brutal African kingdom, Butua, with a South Pacific island paradise known as Tamoé and led by the philosopher-king Zamé.
Sade wrote the book while incarcerated in the Bastille in the 1780s. Published in 1795, it was the first of Sade's books published under his true name.

Plot and Themes

Aline and Valcour are young lover's forced apart by Aline's sadistic and cruel father, President Balmont. He intends to marry her off to his equally sadistic friend monsieur Dolbourg. Balmont and Dolbourg both take pleasure in doing unpleasant things to young women and keeping them as sex slaves. Valcour and his friend Deterville are determined to uncover the truth about Balmont and Dolbourg, eventually leading to an attempt to rescue Aline and another captive Sophie. The book explores key themes of Virtue or vice, cruelty and pleasure, utopia and dystopian and autobiographical elements.