Suite Francaise - Irene Nemirovsky - Review

Suite Francaise - Irene Nemirovsky.

I have only just read Suite Francaise and I loved it.  I already had the book in my to be read pile when I happened across the Major Motion Picture adaptation.  I was at first a little skeptical of Michelle Williams playing the lead role, as I’d watched her for years on Dawson’s Creek and wasn’t sure she could pull of the part.  But she surprised me and her acting far surpassed what I had anticipated.  The chemistry between Michelle Williams and Matthias Schoenaerts was spot on, they portrayed their characters with feeling and believability. 

I couldn’t wait to read the written version, if it was half as good as the movie, I knew I wouldn’t be able to put it down.  I was right.  Suite Francaise was originally written in French by a talented writer - Irene Nemirovsky.  The English version of the book was translated by Sandra Smith, who has before worked with Nemirovsky’s work from French to English.  Sandra has done a fabulous job.

So onto the story…

War has broken out between Germany and France in 1940, the Germans are taking over any country they can.  Defeating France’s soldiers and occupying Paris, the cities, the towns, the villages.  One of the villages (Bussy) is where we meet Lucile Angellier.  A young woman, who married too young and not for love now spends her days rattling around in a village manor house with her cold and stern mother-in-law.  Her husband has been taken and is a prisoner of war, like so many other men from her village.  Though sadly she felt pity for him but nothing else, he wasn’t a good husband. 

It is not long before France admits defeat and the German soldiers roll into town.  The invading Nazi force fill the streets and the officers are sent to reside with the residents.  Lieutenant Bruno von Falk lands on the Angellier’s doorstep and they women of the house are forced to coexist under the same roof.

What Lucile did not expect was to feel something for this invader, this conqueror.  Underneath the green uniform, the soldier façade, was a man, a gentleman.  Bruno wasn’t at all the brutish, cold blooded killer she had envisioned stepping through into her hallway.  For three months Bruno and Lucile struggle with their emerging feelings and they too will feel the keen sting and tragedy of war.

Suite Francaise is as gripping as it is poignant.  Irene sets up the plot with first the invasion, the division of rich and poor at war time and the very unfair way the world worked in the 1940’s.  Irene Nemirovsky began writing Suite Francaise in secret in 1940, but her death in the concentration camp of Auschwitz saw the novel never finished.  The manuscript was discovered sixty-five years later by her daughter, in a suitcase, in the attic.  Suite Francaise became a masterpiece and is loved worldwide.  As it should be.

I highly recommend Suite Francaise, I couldn’t put it down even after I had seen the movie.  That doesn’t happen very often with adaptations.

Xx Kaylene

For more, find me at www.darkdaishandmade.com

Not a morning person.

Ever had those mornings when its raining, it's cold and you just don't want to leave your bed? Thats me this morning. I know I have to get up, breakfast and lunches won't make themselves but I just want to lay here and wake up slowly.  But instead I can hear the shrill sounds of Elmo and Miss 3 just jumped on me and demanded breakfast...I guess that means its time to get up... head straight for the espresso....make breakfast...etc etc.

xx Kaylene

For more little snippets, find me at www.darkdaisyhandmade.com

Weekend Ponderings

I often sit and random little thoughts pop into my head, and somehow I manage to make sense of them - this poem is one such pondering...

Question

So many times I've stumbled and fallen through my days,

having to hide my thoughts,

to cast them away.

The thought of you tears at me,

my heart always aches,

only to remember we are strangers,

longing turns to self hate.

I want to cry, I want to smile,

to believe there was a reason,

for my thoughts of you,

to change with the season's.

- KaylenePettit2016

Please give credit if reposting :-)  You can find other random pondering's on my website www.darkdaisyhandmade.com

Tonight Alive - Limitless

Tonight Alive

Tonight Alive's new album Limitless really does live up to its name.

 I'm a massive Tonight Alive fan, I have all their albums, I know all the songs, the drum beats, the bass lines, the lyrics.  Their punk style has always been something I loved, and related too.  So I was a little unsure when I first heard the new tracks from Limitless.  They had stepped away from their style in a big way.  

What Are You So Scared Of, Revenge & It's Thrills and The Other Side are all epic Tonight Alive albums.  Each with its own story but in essence I could pick a Tonight Alive song from a mile away just by the beefy drum beat, or guitar riff. And that's not to say that the albums are repetitive, because they aren't - they all have that tone of sometimes angry words, self doubt and of course love but from a different perspective of life.  

I think sometimes fans forget that bands like Tonight Alive started out young, it's natural to have progression in sound and lyrics and Limitless is a far cry from hearing Jenna sing about hurtful people and disappointment as was the tone of The Other Side.

Limitless has this sound that blends the best of Tonight Alive killer musical instincts, a slightly electric feel, and just a downright happy record.

The opening track To Be Free, has and independence undertone and really showcases Jenna's voice and the musical change the band as a whole have made.  It's progressive and up beat.

The whole album does have that make you want to dance feel, especially Drive.  At first this was the one song on the album that I thought was the most different from Tonight Alive of old.  But as I listened to it on repeat, I realised that this is Tonight Alive growing into themselves and their own style.  They can no longer be pegged as that token Australian Punk/Emo band.  And Drive is a track that makes you want to dance, there is nothing wrong with that.

Tonight Alive & Limitless is a step up and out.  The album is progressive, fresh, and has a sense of self belief without losing their sound. I feel like this bands potential is limitless...

Check them out on Youtube here and decide for yourself.

Limitless is out now,  go and get it!

xx Kaylene

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Year of the musicians

2016 should definitely be renamed year of the musicians. Seriously what is up with the universe this year!

So many musicians have left us, not all of them famous, or model citizens, but they were crazy in love with their music and lived and breathed it.
So when I heard yet another musician had left us, it made me wonder what the next 8 months would hold.

I personally wasn't a Prince fan, but growing up in the 90's it was impossible not to know who he was and hear his music on the radio.
His music was loved by pop and rock'n'roll fans alike because it was real music.

It's not just the musicians, but actors and actresses, producers, directors and writers that have been taken from us. I hope that wherever these talented people are they can hear the millions of words spoken, typed and broadcast about them.
They will all be missed.

Even if your not a Prince fan, I say, crank that 90's pop loud and send a message to the universe to stop taking our talented people.

xx Kaylene

Vegetarian Apple Pizza

Apple on a pizza?

Umm...yeah! Don't knock it 'till you've tried it. This vegetarian pizza is the perfect no meat meal.  It's easy, quick and super good for you!  If the pic alone doesn't make you want to at least try it, I will be amazed.  The apple has just enough sweetness to balance out the mustard and pepper.  Try it and let me know what you think!

I like to make my own pizzas bases but feel free to use store bought, gluten free is the best kind. Or use a wrap as your base for a crispy thin crust type of pizza.

Ingredients - 

1 apple, handful of fresh spinach leaves, a handful of corn kernals, 1/2 cup of roughly chopped cashews/almonds/walnuts, sprinkle of sunflower seeds or pepitas are great too, few slices of chopped pineapple, crumbled danish feta to your taste, 1-2 tablespoons mustard depending on the size of your base, drizzle of olive oil/coconut oil, and lemon juice, pepper to taste.

Method -

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.  

Roll out your pizza dough if you've made it yourself.  Spread mustard all over evenly.  Core and slice your apple, soak them in a small bowl of water with a little lemon juice added, this will stop them going brown when cooking.  

Layer your spinach first, then the heavier ingredients on top, that way when you eat it, it won't fall apart. Sprinkle over the nuts/seeds.  Add the apple and feta last.  Add freshly ground pepper and drizzle olive/coconut oil over the top.

Bake in the oven for 15- 20 minutes depending on your base used.  It will be golden brown when its ready.

Notes* I like to use cranberries instead of pineapple sometimes.  I think it's always best to use what you have on hand, experiment with the flavours, add some spices.  Or make a garlic dressing to drizzle over the top.  This pizza can easily be vegan if you leave off the feta, and use a vegan friendly sauce instead of mustard.

For more recipes and healthy food tips follow me at www.facebook.com/homemadehealthyrecipesandtips

xx Kaylene