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book_concierge's review against another edition
5.0
It is hard to separate my response to the author's tragic story from my response to this novel.
What an extraordinary work. We want so to keep reading. The author's own tragic story is even more compelling than this too-short novel.
This is an epic story of WW II and the occupation (by Germany) of France. The author, who was Jewish, was killed at Auschwitz after completing only the first two parts of a planned 5-part novel.
Her writing is sensual - full of sights, sounds, tastes, texture, smells. She tells of the mundane everyday struggle for normalcy against a backdrop of war.
It's an extraordinary work - the abrupt ending left me hungry for more!How sad that the world lost such a great talent.
What an extraordinary work. We want so to keep reading. The author's own tragic story is even more compelling than this too-short novel.
This is an epic story of WW II and the occupation (by Germany) of France. The author, who was Jewish, was killed at Auschwitz after completing only the first two parts of a planned 5-part novel.
Her writing is sensual - full of sights, sounds, tastes, texture, smells. She tells of the mundane everyday struggle for normalcy against a backdrop of war.
It's an extraordinary work - the abrupt ending left me hungry for more!How sad that the world lost such a great talent.
mariugonza's review
5.0
Una historia conmovedora, que me hizo reír, sufrir y que me llenó de esperanza en partes iguales
anpu325's review against another edition
5.0
Beautiful, poignant and heartrending. Némirovsky finds beauty and irony in the worst of times-while she was living through them no less! I couldn't put this book down and walked around in a daze after finishing it. I was so moved by the way that Némirovsky saw the humanity in the Nazi soldiers who denied her own. Her compassion and insight into the selfishness and generosity of human nature at revealed in times of crisis will stay with me for a lifetime.
mrs_bonaventure's review against another edition
5.0
So, so sad. Beautifully written - I now want to read her other books. But so sad.
giada_herondale's review against another edition
Visto il periodo storico in cui ci troviamo, la lettura mi stava angosciando e portando alla mente molte paure. Ho preferito smettere.
devansbooklife's review against another edition
1.0
I have gotten about twenty pages in......not captivating me yet
nderiley's review against another edition
2.0
I really really really wanted to like this book after reading what the author went through but I just had a really hard time getting into it. The second half of the book was readable but the first half followed too many stories and for me didn't really give me enough on any character to become attached to their tale. The particular version I read included an appendix of letters written by the author and her husband that were gripping but that could be read without committing to what I consider a slow, painful read.
gaiareadingbooks's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0