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middleditch's review
4.0
An interesting perspective on the war - from the people left behind and the trials they must endure. A story of generations of a rich and privileged family - their loves and losses - experiencing the same heartbreaks and deprivations as the lower classes. A good translation from French.
thistleheather's review against another edition
5.0
This is a sweet, sad, nostalgic, and unexpectedly uplifting tale of love in the turmoil of the two world wars. It put me a lot in the mind of William Trevor’s Fools of Fortune – although this book was, I think, significantly less tragic, it shares a lot of the same themes of families that seemingly can’t help but be entangled by births, marriages, and deaths, and of people – particularly young people – whose lives are swept up by forces they cannot control.
Reading this book, you feel the horrible and wonderful sweep of history and fate. Wonderful in that love, however embattled, seems to find its home over and over again in this book (lovers find each other, children are born, people are forgiven) – horrible in that the modern reader knows the devastation of each world war looming around the corner.
Knowing, too, that Nemirovsky herself was a victim of the holocaust – she died in a concentration camp in 1942 – I felt her own death looming as the events of the book marched steadily towards the second world war. The reader feels the weight of the war and its impact not just on the main characters, but on the world – or at least on France. But even as such huge, sweeping events set the tone – and much of the course – of the book, Nemirovsky’s writing is still tenderly evocative of the individual experience.
The author has a substantial gift for understanding people and writing convincingly and compassionately about their emotions and experiences. Even with characters that are selfish, or cruel, or dishonest, Nemirovsky writes with an understanding eye. It’s easy to present the big brute of the family who rules the roost; it’s not easy to show the reader why they are the way they are, and even make you sympathize with them a little.
Nemirovsky uses simple language to capture the strange core of life and love – one favorite passage, though short and simple, is Charles Hardelot’s titular line:
“I place the happiness of these children in the hands of Providence, but I know how fate defines happiness, in its divine wisdom: worry, anxiety, endurance, our worldly goods…”
I’m not sure in this passage if Charles means that worry, anxiety, endurance, etc become a necessary part of love, because they are a necessary part of life, as love weaves itself through hardship – or if happiness and love cost “all our worldly goods.” Or, as T.S. Eliot would say, “costing not less than everything.”
I haven’t read Suite Francaise, but I feel that All Our Worldly Goods definitely stands on its own. I’m excited to own this book and look forward to rereading it, especially reading it aloud with my husband. I can’t recommend this book enough.
Reading this book, you feel the horrible and wonderful sweep of history and fate. Wonderful in that love, however embattled, seems to find its home over and over again in this book (lovers find each other, children are born, people are forgiven) – horrible in that the modern reader knows the devastation of each world war looming around the corner.
Knowing, too, that Nemirovsky herself was a victim of the holocaust – she died in a concentration camp in 1942 – I felt her own death looming as the events of the book marched steadily towards the second world war. The reader feels the weight of the war and its impact not just on the main characters, but on the world – or at least on France. But even as such huge, sweeping events set the tone – and much of the course – of the book, Nemirovsky’s writing is still tenderly evocative of the individual experience.
The author has a substantial gift for understanding people and writing convincingly and compassionately about their emotions and experiences. Even with characters that are selfish, or cruel, or dishonest, Nemirovsky writes with an understanding eye. It’s easy to present the big brute of the family who rules the roost; it’s not easy to show the reader why they are the way they are, and even make you sympathize with them a little.
Nemirovsky uses simple language to capture the strange core of life and love – one favorite passage, though short and simple, is Charles Hardelot’s titular line:
“I place the happiness of these children in the hands of Providence, but I know how fate defines happiness, in its divine wisdom: worry, anxiety, endurance, our worldly goods…”
I’m not sure in this passage if Charles means that worry, anxiety, endurance, etc become a necessary part of love, because they are a necessary part of life, as love weaves itself through hardship – or if happiness and love cost “all our worldly goods.” Or, as T.S. Eliot would say, “costing not less than everything.”
I haven’t read Suite Francaise, but I feel that All Our Worldly Goods definitely stands on its own. I’m excited to own this book and look forward to rereading it, especially reading it aloud with my husband. I can’t recommend this book enough.
mholles's review against another edition
4.0
Beautifully written. Follow a French family through WWI and WWII.
clairewords's review against another edition
3.0
An easy read and another in the Némirovsky collection, this book concerning a family and the importance of marriage when there is the inheritance of a family business at stake. When the business requires investment it is essential the son marries a woman with a good dowry, marry for love and risk being disowned. All within the context of two world wars in which two generations of family heir must participate and the family watch while everything they know is destroyed.
An enjoyable read, though not the depth I would have liked in terms of characters,the author seemed to have forgotten there was a daughter in the family, while everyone else is escaping burning villages and making long journeys to a safe place, where was she?
An enjoyable read, though not the depth I would have liked in terms of characters,the author seemed to have forgotten there was a daughter in the family, while everyone else is escaping burning villages and making long journeys to a safe place, where was she?
nettebuecherkiste's review against another edition
3.0
Frankreich, kurz vor Ausbruch des 1. Weltkrieges. Die Industriellenfamilie Hardelot steht an der Spitze der Gesellschaft in Saint-Elme. Der Sohn Pierre ist standesgemäß mit der Tochter einer weiteren wohlhabenden Familie verlobt. Dumm nur, dass er heimlich in Agnès Florent verliebt ist, deren Familie zwar durchaus gut situiert, aber eben nicht standesgemäß ist. Es kommt alles anders als geplant und durch die beiden Weltkriege gerät die heile Welt der Familie gründlich aus den Fugen.
Ich habe mich unerwartet schwer getan mit dem Buch. Mein Interesse an Schicksalen aus der Zeit der Weltkriege ist sehr groß und dieses Buch ist noch während des 2. Weltkrieges entstanden. Die Autorin ist schließlich in Auschwitz gestorben. Das Buch ist zweifellos schön und sehr einfühlsam geschrieben und liest sich flüssig. Auch ein feinsinniger Humor blitzt hie und da durch. Doch das reicht leider nicht, um mich wirklich mitzureißen. Ich habe die Charaktere als eher flach empfunden und konnte mich nicht recht in sie hineinversetzen. Mir persönlich sind die Charaktere allerdings sehr wichtig, deshalb kann ich das Buch nicht unter meine Lesehighlights einordnen.
Ich habe auch den “Verfall” der Familie als weniger dramatisch empfunden als etwa in “Buddenbrooks”. Der Wandel der Gesellschaft kommt, wie ich finde, nicht so sehr deutlich zum Ausdruck.
Fazit: lesenswert, aber es hat mich nicht umgehauen
Ich habe mich unerwartet schwer getan mit dem Buch. Mein Interesse an Schicksalen aus der Zeit der Weltkriege ist sehr groß und dieses Buch ist noch während des 2. Weltkrieges entstanden. Die Autorin ist schließlich in Auschwitz gestorben. Das Buch ist zweifellos schön und sehr einfühlsam geschrieben und liest sich flüssig. Auch ein feinsinniger Humor blitzt hie und da durch. Doch das reicht leider nicht, um mich wirklich mitzureißen. Ich habe die Charaktere als eher flach empfunden und konnte mich nicht recht in sie hineinversetzen. Mir persönlich sind die Charaktere allerdings sehr wichtig, deshalb kann ich das Buch nicht unter meine Lesehighlights einordnen.
Ich habe auch den “Verfall” der Familie als weniger dramatisch empfunden als etwa in “Buddenbrooks”. Der Wandel der Gesellschaft kommt, wie ich finde, nicht so sehr deutlich zum Ausdruck.
Fazit: lesenswert, aber es hat mich nicht umgehauen
teachergabi's review against another edition
4.0
What makes Némirovsky's work so special is that she lived through World War II and perished at its end.
This novel of hers is more hopeful than her unfinished SUITE FRANCAISE, but with the same razor sharp descriptions and insights into humanity. The same magnetic pull works on a reader, making the story come alive. The characters, Pierre and Agnès, are inspirations showing humanity at its most decent, displaying a quiet bravery all can learn from. (Through two world wars!!!)
This book reminds us of the lightning speed of time, of seeking a love that will sustain us through death and destruction of entire worlds, and of our ability to shine and become our most courageous during the hardest of trials.
This novel of hers is more hopeful than her unfinished SUITE FRANCAISE, but with the same razor sharp descriptions and insights into humanity. The same magnetic pull works on a reader, making the story come alive. The characters, Pierre and Agnès, are inspirations showing humanity at its most decent, displaying a quiet bravery all can learn from. (Through two world wars!!!)
This book reminds us of the lightning speed of time, of seeking a love that will sustain us through death and destruction of entire worlds, and of our ability to shine and become our most courageous during the hardest of trials.
zanettona's review
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
booksafterten's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
jeanetterenee's review against another edition
Having recently read The Mirador, I have to say that Elisabeth Gille, Nemirovsky's daughter, was the better writer of the two. I just don't get the popularity of Irene's fiction. I didn't like Suite Francaise, and I like this one even less. The writing is so dry and stiff. Maybe it's just the translation, but there's no real feeling conveyed by the words on the page. The story felt totally flat to me. I did enjoy Fire in the Blood, her very short work about France between the two world wars, so I thought another one about that time frame was worth a try. After about 55 pages of this one, I didn't care to continue. I guess she's just not the author for moi.