Suite Francaise

Irene Nemirovsky's novel is an amazing achievement that we are fortunate to have available more than fifty years after its creation. Left incomplete, the two parts that are finished plus the notes for the rest of her novel are impressive. She used music as her thematic foundation and portrayed individuals in their struggle to deal with the fall of Paris in 1940. In doing so she created a realistic and touching, almost cinematic, story of petty desire and courageous heroism. It is a beautifully written account of the experiences of several French individuals and families as they flee Paris in front of the oncoming German Army in 1940. The details and emotions are gripping and draw in the reader as the author explores the varied reactions to this horrific episode in history.


Suite Francaise, Irene Nemirovsky, Alfred A. Knopf, New York (2006)