Nightmares

I don’t have nightmares. Or at least I haven’t had them in many years. The last time I can remember being truly frightened at night was after I watched The Exorcist. I saw that when I was sixteen. Wait. That isn’t entirely true. I did get a little freaked out when I saw Seven. But, neither of those movies gave me nightmares.

Last week I read Irene Nemirovsky’s book Suite Francaise. I was fine if I read it during the day, but when I read it at night I would wake up with nightmares. I have no idea why it bothered me so much. It is not a “scary” book. It takes place during the German invasion of France in WWII, and follows a few characters as they leave Paris prior to its occupation. Then it shifts to depict a number of people in a small town during the German occupation.

The author’s ability to show the best and worst of people under duress gave me nightmares.

Guess I will have to go back to watching scary movies so that I can get some sleep.

And you should look past the ugly cover and read the book.