I am not personally a fan of historical novels… but this crept up on me as I did not realise that it was! To start with I associate historical novels with books about Anne Boleyn, and this is actually about the “between the wars” period in Germany. In fact while we hear a bit about Hitler and the National Socialist Party, this is the story of some of the key figures in short lived Bavarian Soviet Republic, a left wing government in Germany ousted by Hitler. Those involved were mercilessly hunted by German agents of the Nazis even when they had escaped to England or other countries.
The story is told in a complex way, but I found this attractive, partly because real stories are complex. We hear from two narrators: Ruth and Toller. Ernst Toller was a real figure, a German playwright, a Jew, and for six short days president of the ill-fated Bavarian Soviet Republic. Ruth is the woman to whom the book is dedicated, whose life was closely linked to Toller and to the third key character in this story, Dora Fabian. Dora was an early feminist, a pacifist and anti-Nazi campaigner, who was found dead in her flat in England raising the possibility that she had been murdered by a Nazi agent.
We meet Ruth still living in contemporary Bondi and Toller who lived a distressed life as an emigrant in the US. Toller writes the story of Dora’s life and work. Ruth tells us something of her quiet Sydney existence, but thinks back to the events in Germany and England. While she initially seems on the periphery of the drama, it becomes clear as we go through the book that she is ultimately deeply involved in the drama and tragedy.
This is rich in historical detail while being the story of particular individuals, not the story of an event or epoch. I found it moving and eye opening… details about a time in Germany I was hardly aware of. Recommended for older teens and thoughtful adults. Some of this deals with grim matters, though there are no grotesque or unnecessarily intimate descriptions. Younger readers may struggle with the multiple voices (two voices and at least two levels of flash back) as well as the terrible injustice of both German and English intolerance and anti-Semitism.
Andrew Lack
Head of the Odell Learning Resources Centre
Andrew, I have just begun reading this book and it reminds me of The Reader. I am finding the intertwinning of time, memory & lives wonderful. I am not surprised this text won this year's Miles Franklin Award.
ReplyDelete