A German friend of mine raved about this novel when it was first published and urged me to read it as soon as it was available in translation so imagine how delighted I was to see not only it that now is, but that I have the opportunity to win a copy!
After reading the opening chapter I felt drawn into Friedrich's life in pre-war Switzerland and by the time I reached the end I felt I wanted to know more about how his dysfunctional-family experiences will influence how he deals with life in Berlin and Nazi Germany and how his relationship with Kirsten/Stella will be affected by the prejudices he has been exposed to. From the synopsis it's clear that their love affair will be anything but straight-forward but I very much want to discover for myself how they negotiate the challenges they face. The fact that the story is based in parts on a real character should add authenticity to the storytelling - I hope I'll be lucky enough to discover that this is so!!
I love the cover of the book and know that it would immediately draw my eye if I saw it in a bookshop.
After reading the opening chapter I felt drawn into Friedrich's life in pre-war Switzerland and by the time I reached the end I felt I wanted to know more about how his dysfunctional-family experiences will influence how he deals with life in Berlin and Nazi Germany and how his relationship with Kirsten/Stella will be affected by the prejudices he has been exposed to. From the synopsis it's clear that their love affair will be anything but straight-forward but I very much want to discover for myself how they negotiate the challenges they face. The fact that the story is based in parts on a real character should add authenticity to the storytelling - I hope I'll be lucky enough to discover that this is so!!
I love the cover of the book and know that it would immediately draw my eye if I saw it in a bookshop.