Normandy, 1930
Ludo, a young boy raised by his slightly crazy uncle Ambroise Fleury, the "factor stamped" kites manufacturer, leads a serene youth look forward each year to the arrival of his beloved, Lila, a young Polish aristocrat which comes to rest in a family property and he is madly in love.
Lila is beautiful enough to die, she seeks, she tantalizes she twirls. As for her mother, she constantly plays a play, and delights in its permanent complaint. His father, he has his head on his shoulders, or at least.
"Genia of Bronicka- I later learned that the" from "disappeared when the family returned to Poland" (p41)
"Genia was a beauty that used to say she was causing havoc, which is an expression of fashion today, probably because of the ravages of inflation in the world has known since." (P41)
domestic "effected their entrance to the attic, with two heavily laden trays of pastries, plates, cups and teapots; a cloth was spread on the floor and tea was served on the ground, which I took to first for a Polish custom, while it was explained Tad, "to put a little simplicity in this house, whose luxurious habits are intolerable." "(p46)
"My uncle and Mr Jones taking the count each under the elbow, as the sausage had done his work - the two bottles of wine that can be mentioned here by discretionary, accompanied him to the car." (P78)
But Ludo is not the only aspiring alas, as a young German, of the caliber of Lila, Hans von Schwede, courted her too.
"It was when Lila, who learned to play the guitar," dreamed of herself, "a song on his lips. Sitting among plants, the skirt up over her knees, she spoke of her future tours triumphant in America, adoration of the crowds, and was so convincing in his fantasies, or rather I loved it so much, that all these flowers at his feet m already seemed thrown there by his admirers; I could see the top of her thighs; I was dying, I dared nothing, did not move, I was dying slowly, that's all. " (P81)
Then Ludo will do anything to arouse the interest of Lila and be worthy of her. Mr. Bronicki hired as a secretary. Unfortunately, the family returned to Poland and Ludo dying to go join Lila. It is with the agreement of Ambroise Fleury, he therefore share in Poland, where he will be received with great fanfare as a diplomat.
"" Long live eternal France and undying friendship of the French people and the Polish people ", which seemed to do much of eternity and immortality at a time." (P104)
We are in 1939 and war was declared. No one understands the issue, nor knows how long it will last. Men leave shrinking violet without assessing the gravity of the situation.
Ludo is forced to return to France.
During these terrible years, he will have one desire: to find Lila. His whole life is haunted by his image and to boost morale, he imagines hold discussions with it in their Norman properties, it sanctifies.
He quette, he waits, and find where it was least expected. This Lila, so carefree in his gilded youth, had to give his body to protect his impoverished family, and that body, mind, Ludo will take in the face.
But this love is there and he understands and forgives him.
So when the "resistance of the last hour," which are hidden throughout the war, will mow beautiful hair Lila to denounce Ludo chooses to walk the streets of the city on his arm to brandish and to castigate these approaches. One day, Lila will affront to return to the barber, died of shame, and claim him again mowing.
This love takes the place of red wire to the novel, but it is also by its rich images, for its characters, strong character.
The image of the kites is ever present throughout the book: they are symbols of freedom: they twirl in the air, are dreaming children and their parents, are the challenge of freedom of expression, are symbols hope. And so Ambroise Fleury, uncle a little wacky designs things. I will not forget this passage that made me smile when Ambrose, then a prisoner in a camp is recognized by a German officer, who puts him at the head of a small manufacturing plant kites, and risk losing his life, Ambrose refuses to make a kite human skin. Yet camps will return some time after the end of the war, as naive and determined than before.
"My uncle had hidden all his time" popu Front "and Jaures in the Tachin father, the pastor of Clery, who started by yelling, but had ended up in his basement stuff, except Blum, whom he had put fire parcequ "m **** finally what we must not exaggerate. '" (P186)
And that famous Marcelin Duprat, both clinging to the image of French cuisine throughout the world. His role, much maligned at first as it is forced to serve the German officers, who relish their food and incense French cuisine, rather, he said, an act of resistance: in fact, he is convinced that thereby perpetuates the qualities and values of France! It is a boorish man, but good French, bon vivant, and sure of his convictions, who lives only for and by the kitchen. He wants to radiate this art and France in the world. I had fun reading these scenes, where he throws a tantrum when an officer, to whom he is related also of friendship, made mistakes by taking cooking classes. Marcelin, strong man, still pay a tear when his friend (although this term was not used but the feeling is very strong) commits suicide, before the German troops discovered its anti-Nazi acts.
"Trompe-language" (P218)
about the service to the plate "The food always loses spontaneity, his truth and his time during the presentation. he must get everything right on the plate, directly from the fire." (p219)
And that famous Countess Esterhazy, who is nothing but a leader of prewar brothel, Ludo had known, became spies and has surrounded himself with relationships to be spared by the Germans.
This lady, hot, in his flowing robes, with his cigarette holder at your fingertips, which seems to fear nothing and to govern his world, and make fun of death, but still demand that we sign him certificates proof of his acts of resistance.
"Bust bow and stern behind" (P327)
"Maybe I was beginning to sense that when we spoke disparagingly of" whore "or" madam "is human dignity and stood at the bottom, to forget more easily the baseness of the head. (P172)
This gay couple, one of whom is Jewish, but could change its identity in order to live with his German companion, but voluntary act that will at the end of the war not to lie about his origins and his controversial relations.
Finally, Hans Ludo who argues with the heart of Lila, who also resurface during the war, and Ludo, astonishment, will have to help to protect Lila, who riddled his life wishes to act heroically trying by through Hans, to crash the plane carrying Hitler.
An intelligent novel, relevant, strong and poignant, but light at a time, with his kites, which throughout the novel, only waiting for a single moment: the fly.
