This was a unique book in that it was almost a double historical novel.
Most historical fiction has a contemporary storyline and the historical one and they dovetail or feed into each other.
This one not only has a staggering WWII plot (more on that in a minute) but it also has a “contemporary” line that takes place in the 70s and 80s, so that’s more historical as well.
It’s all cleverly woven together, and the author makes some stunning connections that I have never seen before.
Let’s unpack some of that. As always, I will try my hardest to not give away major points, as it is important to discover on one’s own. I truly believe that to be the case for this novel.
The WWII story follows Magda as she is the secretary for a business owner in late 1930s Germany. It doesn’t take a historian to know what happens in that time, nor is it difficult to figure out Magda’s trajectory as the company becomes vital to the German “war effort.”
What made this time period stand out was the focus of the narrative. Many novels have been set in and around the concentration camps and the Jewish “experience” of the times.
But I don’t recollect ever reading one that details the progression and lead-up to one of the worst times for humanity every recorded.
No, that’s not hyperbole. The author is stark in both the descriptions of what happened and the German attitude towards it all. Truly eye-opening.
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The more modern line takes place in East Berlin/Eastern Germany in the late 1970s and 1980s. Magda is now a grandmother (not a spoiler) and her granddaughter, Nina, is learning what life is like under the oppressive thumb of the Stasi.
She knows her grandmother is important, because the Stasi keep tabs and there are veiled references. But the author cleverly keeps Nina in the dark for a long time. The reader is only partially in on the connections, and as the timelines collide, many truths are revealed.
As I have mentioned in the past, I’m a history lover and studied WWII extensively. I’ve never made the connection of the similarities between the Nazis and the Stasi. It was amazing to read and see how Germany (especially Berlin) ended up quite literally out of the frying pan and into the fire.
It was also interesting to see how Magda and Nina paralleled each other, even as Magda tried to keep secrets (as did Nina) and Nina didn’t fully understand Magda’s reasons.
I know it all sounds a bit convoluted, but it’s crystal clear in the book. It’s a masterful look at two very dark times.
It also serves as a clarion call to those who are paying attention to current events.
We can’t let it happen again.
Twitter: @cathokin
Author Bio:
Catherine Hokin is the author of two World War Two inspired novels set in Berlin, her favourite city. Following a History degree at Manchester University she worked in teaching, marketing and politics, while waiting for a chance to do what she really wanted which was to write full time. Her short stories have been published by iScot, Writers Forum and Myslexia magazines and she was the winner of the 2019 Fiction 500 Short Story Competition. She is a lover of strong female leads and a quest.
Catherine now lives in Glasgow with her American husband. She has two grown-up children – one of whom lives, very conveniently, in Berlin – and a life long addiction to very loud music.
