French to English
I bought this book, "Fire in the Blood," in the original French in order to compare it to my English copy, translated beautifully by Sandra Smith. (Luckily, both books match up, page for page, so it's easy to compare.)
I studied French from 3rd grade through high school, but unfortunately, am not fluent in reading or speaking. My pronunciation, however, is excellent -- that's what was emphasized back in my day (b. 1953). "It's not what you say, it's how you say it that counts."
Anyway, it's interesting to compare Nemirovsky's phrasing with Smith's translation. Both writers are wonderful, and the original French lends a subtle shading to the English.
I loved Nemirovsky's "Suite Francaise," which followed several different stories revolving around the Nazi invasion of Paris in 1940-1941.
And I enjoyed this more intimate tale centering on several characters in a country village south of Paris and their interwoven love stories.
Satisfying and moving.
