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This is a beautiful story about first love. Not a word is overdone. Feelings are allowed to reach the reader in the most delicate and precious way. Rolland's words ...

... "Through the portals of his eyes into his heart she entered, she entered all complete; and the door closed. Noises from without fell to nothing. Silence. Peace. She was there."

... "She did not look at him. In fact she did not even know as yet of his existence. And yet she was there inside him. He held her image there, speechless, crushed in his arms, and he dared not breathe for fear that his breath might ruffle her."

... "both of them were in accord as to a mute resolve not to look into the future"

Rolland's works held a special place in the hearts of young people in the 1920s and 1930s wanting to love and survive in the midst of the constant threat of war and evil worse than war. I am planning to have the German boy in my novel-in-progress read "Pierre and Luce" at a time when he is separated from the girl he loves, maybe forever, is confused and conflicted by his life, and is looking for a way to understand and come to peace with his feelings. He won't find peace but I believe he will find the effort worthwhile.