War and Armistice: Exodus interruptus & Occupation/Collaboration

books:


	• Suite Francaise Irene Nemirovsky Vintage, 2007 - 448 pages average customer review:based on 372 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Suite Francaise

Suite Francaise captures the weakness of humanity during WW2 rather than the horrors of war - a unique approach which engenders great admiration for the author. The publication could be improved by placing the preface and appendices at the front - this would add greatly to appreciation of the work.

Fine

This book was fine. Not great, not awful, just fine. It took a bit of patience to read, but the 2nd half was much better than the first. By the time I finished I didn't care to read her notes and plans for the rest of the story. I expected something totally different, and honestly have no idea who the couple on the cover is supposed to be. The book is choppy, jumping from one family to the next and it gets irritating. I'd prefer more character development and less characters. The second half is much better, focusing mainly on one group of people. This is probably a good book for students as the right professor can talk about the author's plans for the stories and how she intended them to relate had she not died. I read this book for a couple chapters, then put it down to read "Tis" by Frank McCourt b/c it was a more interesting read. I did finish the book, but until I got to the 2nd half I kept substituting it with Tis.

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War and Armistice: Exodus interruptus & Occupation/Collaboration

Another brillant piece of writing by a Russian emigrant in a second language. The book remained tragically incomplete; in its current shape it has 2 of the 5 intended parts. The 3rd one was supposed to be called Captivity and was intended to cover the resistance, according to the notes in the appendix to this pocket book. (Irene herself was arrested and died in captivity. So did her husband, who was also Jewish. Her 2 daughters escaped and saved the manuscript for 60 years.)
The first part, called Storm, is about the time when Germany was winning the war in France and the citizens of Paris made a mad dash South. It introduces a broad spectrum of characters from different shades of middle class plus farmers and the servant class. Workers are outside the spectrum of the book, which may be an accurate reflection of Mme Nemirovsky's social experience. Central characters are the members of a rich upper middle class family, the Pericands, and of a lower middle class one, the Michauds.
The armistice causes the exodus to stop, life becomes 'normal' again, in a situation of occupation. The narrative in part 2, Dolce, moves to a small town near the demarcation line between the occupied and the 'free' part of France. We meet some new people, mainly the two Angellier women, and some old aquaintances. The aristocracy becomes a relevant player in the plot. The village has German troops billeted in every house. Biology takes charge: many young men from the village have left as soldiers, are in captivity or have died. The German troops and officers provide a solution to a felt need. Collaboration grows on simple physical and psychological factors. This phase is temporary: the war in Russia starts, the troops move out of France, the resistance begins to show up.
In the first two parts, IN did not touch on the situation of the Jews in France. Actually, none of the many characters in the story seem to be Jewish. This is odd and I have no explanation for it.
I realize this is the only fictional account of WW2 in France that I have read or that I can remember. Also odd. I also realize that my French has become too rusty for this level. I also realize that I need to give up on my arrogance which makes me often ignore the 'best books of the year' selections. I have often been disappointed by such dignitaries, but Nemirovsky demonstrates that the jurors can also be right.

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reviews: 1, 2, 3, page 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

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