Dreams of Roses and Fire

Set in 1600s France, it is based on the events known as the Loudun possessions and the historical person Urbain Grandier, a Catholic priest who was burned at the stake after being convicted of witchcraft.

[1] The novel was published to critical acclaim in 1949 and remains one of Eyvind Johnson's most widely read books.

Another reason for the conflict is Cardinal Richelieu's decision to demolish the city walls built by the Huguenots, which some citizens including Grainier oppose.

He refuses to confess and his denunciators have him burned at the stake as a heretic on the city square.

The novel has been translated into at least twelve languages including Danish, German, French, Dutch and English: