Fire in the Blood

This is a great read. The character development is outstanding, and the lives of the "paysans" in this small French village, in the years before the war, are as complicated as the most sophisticated characters in any metropolis. Nemirovsky employs Silvio as narrator, and the twists and turns in the plot unfold masterfully in her writing. I kept thinking about movie star casting as I read this. The world lost a real literary treasure when her life ended so early. I really enjoyed this read. Job Reader, Milwaukee, WI

A book that has resonated with me since I read it and could not put it down. The reader identifies immediately with narrator as he creates a captivating vignette of life in rural France. The interconnectedness of the characters mirrors the interconnectedness of past and present. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in romance, historical fiction or just plain good reading.

I have just finished "Fire in the Blood" by Irene Nemirovsky and am utterly overwhelmed by how good of a read it was. The narrative is rich but not so overly detailed that it is taxing. The characters are painted so carefully, so accurately, that their humanity is palpable. The story is captivating and has ... oh but I don't want to even risk spoiling it! This book should not be read by the masses. But if you are a sensitive soul then, please, read and enjoy.

Fire in the Blood I cannot imagine a more beautifully written or narrated (Mark Bramhall) book. This is a masterpiece that engrosses the reader with the tastes, smells and textures of the French countryside in the early 1900's. Of course there's plenty of gossip and family scandal in this relatively short work of 3 CD's. You won't regret a minute spent in the company of Silvio, the character telling this quiet, but fascinating tale.

This novel was written by a 34-year-old woman who was reflecting on her youth, on aging, on the differences between young and old, and on past mistakes and how they are never erased. In this brief and sketchy work, you will find exquisite passages that describe the beautiful French countryside and the comforts of small town life, of love, and of family. The work is narrated by an older man whose passions are burned out but whose memories still haunt him. He sometimes stands off from the lives and dramas surrounding him, but that pose can only hold up for so long. And in fact, almost all the characters in this book want merely peace, love, and solitude, but these qualities prove very hard to attain in the face of life's passions. Although the book at times resembles a soap opera, there are nuggets of wisdom here, and, like all great literature, this work takes on our mortality, our passions, and our human story unfolding in the passing of time. For me this book was well worth reading and savoring Irene Nemirovsky's great literary skills.