Synopses & Reviews
One of
Kirkus Reviews' Best Books of the Year
It is 1943 the height of the Second World War. With the men away at the front, Berlin has become a city of women.
On the surface, Sigrid Schröder is the model German soldiers wife: She goes to work every day, does as much with her rations as she can, and dutifully cares for her meddling mother-in-law, all the while ignoring the horrific immoralities of the regime.
But behind this façade is an entirely different Sigrid, a woman of passion who dreams of her former Jewish lover, now lost in the chaos of the war. But Sigrid is not the only one with secrets she soon finds herself caught between what is right and what is wrong, and what falls somewhere in the shadows between the two....
Review
"The writing is a great mix of the literary and commercial, page-turning and suspenseful, with a morally complex, intelligent heroine at its center. If you're a fan of well-written historical novels in the vein of Ann Patchett's Bel Canto, this one is for you." Slate
Review
“If you enjoy beautiful storytelling, gripping suspense, and distractingly romantic plot, this is the book for you! An exciting page-turning read!” Kathleen Grissom, New York Times bestselling author of The Kitchen House
Review
“A thriller of searing intensity that asks the most urgent of questions — how to love, who to trust, what can be saved in the very darkest of times. I found it utterly compelling.” Margaret Leroy, New York Times bestselling author of The Soldier's Wife
Review
“In this moving and masterful debut, David Gillham brings war-torn Berlin to life and reveals the extraordinary mettle of women tested to their limits and beyond. Powerful and piercingly real. You wont soon forget these characters.” Paula McLain, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Wife
Review
“[A] stunning debut....Transcendent prose.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Review
“As impossible to put down as it is to forget.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Review
"A terrifically tense first novel." The Times
Synopsis
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AND ONE OF KIRKUS REVIEWS' BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR It is 1943--the height of the Second World War. With the men away at the front, Berlin has become a city of women.
On the surface, Sigrid Schroder is the model German soldier's wife: She goes to work every day, does as much with her rations as she can, and dutifully cares for her meddling mother-in-law, all the while ignoring the horrific immoralities of the regime.
But behind this facade is an entirely different Sigrid, a woman of passion who dreams of her former Jewish lover, now lost in the chaos of the war. But Sigrid is not the only one with secrets--she soon finds herself caught between what is right and what is wrong, and what falls somewhere in the shadows between the two . . .
READERS GUIDE INSIDE
About the Author
David R. Gillham spent more than a decade in the book business, and now lives with his family in western Massachusetts.