Customer Reviews

Le Bal

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This was one of Nemirovsky's first works. It was written in 1928, the year before the Wall Street crac, but published in 1930, after David Golder. It tells the story of a French nouveau riche family, the Kampfs. He is a Jewish businessman who has suddenly strike rich on currency speculation; on marrying her unbearable catholic wife he converted to catholicism (there is some stereotyping here for those willing to look at it, though it's not as on-your-face as in Golder). They decide to give a ball in order to presents themselves into high society. Her fourteen years old daughter, the vivacious but lonely Antoinette is told she will not be allowed to the ball, so while sending the invitations she suddenly plans a cruel revenge on her parents (and especially her mother). A great book, especially observant at the feelings of a wounded teenager, and at less than 90 pages, between a short story and a novella.

These are fairly early pieces by Irene Nemirovsky, published in 1930 and 1931, but deeply satisfying.

LE BAL is deceptively simple. A fourteen-year-old girl watches her parents prepare feverishly to give their first ball. With the critical vision of youth, she sees their crassness, their nouveau riche errors of taste and judgment. Nonetheless a ball is a ball. When she's firmly excluded from attending by her selfish mother, she doesn't take it lightly.

This story derives its resonance from Nemirovsky's own troubled relationship with her shallow, self-centered mother.

SNOW IN AUTUMN is the story of the Karine family of wealthy White Russians, told from the point of view of their faithful old servant and nanny Tatiana. The family loses almost all they possess in the Revolution of 1917, and they end up in Paris, like so many other ruined Russian exiles. We follow the effect this has on various family members, and most poignantly on Titiana.

This story paints a grim picture of the transience of life, in particular the good life. Tatiana's fate is inspired by that of Nemirovsky's devoted French governess.

(I'm gleaning these autobiographical references as I read The Life of Irene Nemirovsky by Olivier Philipponnat and Patrick Lienhardt, another important read for fans of Nemirovsky.)

Nemirovsky's style is spare yet emotional, both satiric and moving. Sandra Smith, the stellar translator of these stories and of Suite Française, considers Nemirovsky "a worthy successor to Flaubert and de Maupassant." Quite a claim, but I'm inclined to agree.

Irene Nemirovsky died at Auschwitz in 1942. Every time I read a book by her, I feel grateful that this, at least, has survived.

Le bal is the story of a noveau riche family, the Kampfs, who are trying to fit in with the elite, upper Parisian Society. Monsieur and Madame Kampf decide to throw a magnificient ball that would put them on the map, so to speak. Mrs. Kampf and her 14 year old daughter, Antoinette have a slightly twisted relationship: the domineering mother on one side, and timid facade of an angry teenager on the other side. As the short story unfolds, the results of the strained mother-daughter relationship comes to light. A very enjoyable read, with delicate portrayals.

Snow in Autumn, the second story, tells the tale of the devoted nanny/servant, Tatiana Ivanovna, as she follows her masters who are fleeing the russian revolution. The story first takes place in the family home, in Russia, and then moves on to Odessa and finally to Paris. Through Tatiana's loving eyes, you see the change the family goes through. Despair, lost hope, grief, then starting over again and a mild throbbing feeling of finding a glimmer of hope again. Of the two stories in this book, I liked Snow in Autumn the most