The Kites

Romain Gary, Miranda Richmond Mouillot

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Paperback

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English

Text Publishing Company
30 October 2017

Fiction & Literature; Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945)

Set in Normandy before and during WWII, The Kites is narrated by a young orphan, Ludo Fleury, who is madly in love with Lila de Bronicki, a charming and self-absorbed Polish aristocrat. Despite the looming war, Ludo remains obstinately in love with Lila and becomes involved in the Resistance.

Ludo's uncle and guardian, the colourful Ambroise Fleury, a passionate amateur kite-maker, is deported to Auschwitz, while Ambroise's best friend, Marcellin Duprat, one of France's greatest chefs, battles the Occupation with an unrelenting love of haute cuisine, and Julie Espinoza, a Parisian madame refashions herself as a collaborationist countess, running a Resistance network under the noses of the Nazis.

Written by one of the most-loved French authors, The Kites is both a ripping good story and a sobering reflection on the tragic human tendency to search for an enemy. It is funny and heartbreaking, dark and optimistic, tender and unsparing.

By: Romain Gary
Translated by: Miranda Richmond Mouillot
Imprint: Text Publishing Company
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 153mm, Spine: 25mm
Weight: 435g
ISBN: 9781925498813
ISBN 10: 1925498816
Publication Date: 30 October 2017
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Reviews for The Kites

`A poignant story dotted with moments of hilarity and absurdity made even more interesting by Ludo's unusual outlook on life.' * West Australian * `The Kites is indeed a treasure, capable of accessing an enormous node of insight and almost-overwhelming beauty spliced with bittersweet candour.' * Bomb Magazine * `A rich and layered love story that begins in innocence and moves through hardship toward a broad humanity.' * Kirkus Reviews * `Gary is a good model for our own century of transnational lives.' * David Bellos, author of Romain Gary: A Tall Story *