La Belle Époque - Prologue
La Belle Époque (French, "Beautiful Era") began in the late 19th century and ended with World War I.
The era was a golden age in European society, but underneath the splendid grandeur of the late Victorian and Edwardian eras was the ever-present hum of society's engine. Edith Hargrove was born in November 1872, and her family was considered the trash of society. Gradually Edith was able to elevate herself through society until she found wealth and status.
Edith represents a dream held by many in her time, but that dream was achieved by very few. As society outruns Edith's ambition she finds herself moving forward and simultaneously stuck in the past. The lines that cruelly outline the difference between rich and poor begin to blur until Edith is left to question if the struggles of her elevation have been in vain.
La Belle Époque is the story of Edith's life.