The author, Irene Nemirovsky was a Jewish writer who did not survive the Holocaust. Because she wrote fiction while living during World War II and suffering the deprivations of war along with the worst anti-Semitism the world has ever seen, the book is eerily realistic.
In the book, there are several stories describing different aspects in French life duing the period. She exposes the characters' spiteful and selfish personality flaws unapologetically. She shows how hardships and tragedy bring out the real qualities of human personalities.
While reading, you can actually see the war coming to life. She had a non-sensational way of writing about it and in so doing the realities as being very stark and horrible. For example, she describes the attempt of many people trying to escaping on foot with children and luggage in tow. Suddenly you are made aware that a woman was struck by a bomb and instantly destroyed among so many others who could have easily suffered the same fate.
Unfortunately, Nemirovsky did not have many other works published because she did not survive the war. Had she survived, I believed that she would have been hailed one of the best writers of our time. |
Suite Francaise (Large Print Press) Books In Print, Audio Books.