Storm of June Vs. Dolce

After finishing the novel, one finds that Storm in June and Dolce are two independant volumes of work. The first, Storm in June, follows the lives of citizens as they evacuate the city of Paris in the days following the German advance. The second, Dolce, paints the lives of the French in the small country town of Bussy during the first few months of German occupation. While after first reading these two volumes they seem to lie independant to one another, links between the two can be found. For example, a handful of characters from the first section are brought up in the second, notably Jean-Marie Michaud and the Sabaries. It is, however, the history of the Second World War and its chronology that ultimately unites Storm in June and Dolce. As the reader moves through the novel, they learn of the series of events that composed the war, as well as the acheivement of peace that followed.

Though Storm in June and Dolce can be connected, they are also contrasting in nature. The two finished volumes, in particular, have entirely different moods. Storm in June juggles a large cast of characters in a thrilling, pacey, and action-filled assortment, as the German invasion forces crowds of Parisans out of their city. In Dolce, the pace begins to slow, the tone softens, but the emotions, instead, become deeper as Nemirovsky concentrates on the lives of two main families in the peaceful town of Bussy. This section is no longer driven by the burlesque rhythms which led the first. The point-of-view- one that explores the thoughts and emotions of all characters, minor or major -also stays the same.

Following these two volumes of work, it was expected that Nemirovsky was planning to continue with three additional volumes: Captivity, Battles, and Peace. Where we are now left without any conclusive ending to the novel, I believe we would have then instead received that ending that was expected. This, in my opinion, would have made the novel a better, much more satisfying read. All in all, however, I found this novel captivating at parts, much lagging in others. I preferred the storyline of the second volume, Dolce, as it was much more interesting, as well as less confusing. Which did you prefer?