The Balkan Trilogy [Import] [Paperback]

Olivia Manning (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 928 pages
• Publisher: Mandarin; New Ed edition (1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0749304618
• ISBN-13: 978-0749304614
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.2 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,511,148 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars History as it is really experienced, April 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Balkan Trilogy (The Great Fortune / The Spoilt City / Friends and Heroes) (Mass Market Paperback)

This series of novels (consisting of The Balkan Trilogy and The Levant Trilogy) focus on the lives of Guy and Harriet Pringle through the years of the second world war. Guy is a lecturer for the British Council and spends the war teaching in Bucharest, Athens and Cairo. The real war action is always close and threatening, never actually centre stage. The novel works well to provide a "ground up" view of war as it effects those civilians on its borders. However, the beauty of the work lies in the day -to -day portrait of a developing relationship. From newly weds to disaffection, through to quiet resignation Harriet and Guy are compelling and real, familiar and challenging. No other novel builds its characters in such detail, no other novel offers such profound insights into the killing familiarity of a marriage. The canvas is large, but the focus of events is on the daily monotony that drains the magic out of relationships but, silently, replaces it with the threads of shared experience and intimate knowledge that can prove a more effective cement . As well as a relationship, this is a catalogue of vivid characters. The prickly intelligent Harriet. The frustratingly socially promiscous Guy -a man you learn to despise and then, over the course of the novels, like a member of your family, to love as well. With them are a collection of secondary characters that are believable and fascinating in their own right as well as catalysts for the main protagonists. A book to read, and re-read and eventually to become part of the fabric of your life.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Decadence and growth, June 11, 2005

By 

ex nihilo "creatio" (Urbs et orbis) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Balkan Trilogy (The Great Fortune / The Spoilt City / Friends and Heroes) (Mass Market Paperback)

I read this trilogy, in the Penguin edition, as the first volume of Olivia Manning's "Fortunes of War". Composed of three novels, it narrates the evolution and growth of Harriet Pringle, from a young, unworldly and hopeful newlywed, to self aware, disillusioned, but profoundly humane cosmopolitan who wearily flees the German advance against the backdrop of WWII in southern Europe.

We meet the main character (Harriet, from whose point of view we see everyting)as she has recently married and is travelling, in the company of her husband, Guy, to Bucharest. WWII has just begun, and the young British couple finds many alarming signs of this in their way to the country where they intend to spend some time, since Guy has a teaching post there.

As we get to know them while they settle in Bucharest, we can see how Harriet and Guy are totally different in personality: while Guy is idealistic, open and gregarious, Harriet is reserved, not very talkative and even suspicious. These differences become apparent for them, as well as for those who know them, creating tension and misunderstandings in their married life. Harriet doesn't understand why Guy seems to love to be with everybody, and have a good time on top of that, and spends so little time with her. He also cares about everybody's problems except her own (she doesn't bother to give a clue about them, but anyway expects him to at least look interested).

All this would seem ordinary, boring, married life stuff,..... except that the setting is the very troubled Europe of the war.I also think Harriet's thinking and feeling processes are quite likely and credible: we tend to see ourselves, in the middle of our misfortune and unhappiness, as the centre of the world, even when shattering, but vague and general, events sorround us. Harriet does indeed seem more interested in the obnoxiousness of her husband's behaviour than in the real tragic and dangerous situation they are in. For, even though Romanian people assure them that they are in a safe country,allied of the Germans, events begin to tell otherwise. Harriet, however, is not as much interested in historic events as in her discovery of the very real differences in character and disposition that seem to distance her from her husband or, even more surprising for her, the sudden realization of how interesting and worth of affection some of the people she meets in Bucharest are. This latter, the fact that she can feel authentic, deep affection for total strangers with whom she doesn't share anything (culture, language, age, background...) makes her worry more about the real possibilities of success her marriage has....while it also teaches her how there is a human core in herself and others, even in the middle of chaos and tragedy, that makes human connectedness possible. On the other hand, this device makes us acquainted with truly fascinatig characters, tridimensional, charming and lovable with flaws and all.

But she has to leave Bucharest in a hurry, as well as her new friends, for Greece. The Germans are sweeping over Europe. And this is the greatest charm of the trilogy: the depiction of the very last days, the agony throes one could say, of a whole world and view of life; the decadence of the old European society, torn between two visions of the world that will ultimately destroy it: fascism and comunism. Harriet's husband, Guy, likes this latter vision and, sadly and ironically, is devoted to spreading the greatest works of European culture, just in the eve of this culture's destruction through the attrocities of war.

It is a great triumph of the author that, in spite of the highly tragical, chaotic and emotional times the story is set in, she manages to convey the story in a very emotionally-controlled, sometimes even detached, way. This must be really difficult when writing about a young British couple, far from home and family, who flees the German advance in Europe. But the point of view chosen -that of a character who is really in the middle of the important, life-affirming process, of learning about herself and the world: how she can care and feel affection for other people, all kinds of people (learning to love), and who is getting to lower her expectations of what she should get in return for her affection- , diffuses the impact of the times and, through the very personal vision of the character, makes us have some hope and faith in the humanity of people.

There is a sequel to this trilogy, although not so long, that tells about Harriet and Guy after they have to leave Greece for Egypt: The Levant Trilogy. I recomend both. They convey a very good idea of the world and way of life that died with WWII.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Treasure, August 6, 2001

By 

Eileen Schmitt (South Bend, IN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Balkan Trilogy (The Great Fortune / The Spoilt City / Friends and Heroes) (Mass Market Paperback)

I was very disappointed to see that this collection is out of print. I have read the trilogy several times and always found something new to admire. Ms. Manning is very adept at illuminating the communications and mis-communications of marriage and politics. These novels balance emotional life and political effect very well and they work on many levels. I hope it is back in print soon so I can continue to press it on friends without relinquishing my worn copy.