Synopses & Reviews
For readers who were gripped by the world of espionage in William Boyd's Restless, this is a compelling, unforgettable novel that brings to life the very human story behind a momentous turning point in history In Germany 1993, the Berlin Wall is down, the country is reunified, and 30-year-old school teacher Michael Ritter feels his life is falling apart. His wife has thrown him out, his new West German headmaster has fired him for being a former card-carrying Socialist Party member, and he is still clinging on to the wreckage of the state that shaped him. Disenfranchised and disenchanted, Michael heads home to care for his terminally ill mother. On her deathbed, she urges him to seek out an evangelical priest, Pastor Bruck, and discover the truth about his father. Initially, Michael dismisses her fevered ramblings, but as the days pass he cannot let it go. He eventually finds the priest and is taken on a journey into a past of dark discoveries which shatter everything he's previously believed in.
Review
"Brophy's tale...gives one pause about assumptions that much of the world made about 'rescuing' those who didnt necessarily feel they needed to be saved." —The Historical Novels Review
Review
"Brophy's sympathy for the oppressed is perceptive and nuanced, and [protagonist] Michael's personal development will keep readers engaged." —Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
Secrets and spies, love and tragedy in Stasi East Germany.
Brandenburg 1993: The Berlin Wall is down, the country is reunified and thirty-year-old school teacher Michael Ritter feels his life is falling apart. His wife has thrown him out, his new West German headmaster has fired him for being a socialist, former Party member and he is still clinging on to the wreckage of the state that shaped him. Feeling angry and lost, Michael heads home to care for his terminally ill mother.
Before she dies, she urges him to seek out an evangelical priest, Pastor Bruck, who is the only one who knows the truth about his father. When Michael eventually tracks him down, he is taken on a journey of dark discoveries, one which will shatter his foundations, but ultimately bring him hope to rebuild them.
About the Author
Kevin Brophy has written various nonfiction books.