Author:Julia Franck,Anthea Bell
The moving story of a brother and a sister caught in the tide of the Cold War
Käthe is a Jewish sculptor living in East Berlin. A survivor of the Nazi era, she is a fervent socialist who has been using her political connections to secure more significant commissions. Devoted entirely to success, she is a cruel and abrasive mother to her children. She barely acknowledges Ella’s vulnerable loneliness and Thomas’s quiet aspirations, and her hard-nosed brutality forces her children to build an imaginary world as a shelter from the coldness that surrounds them.
As the Berlin Wall goes up, dreams are shattered, lives fall apart and this dark fairytale of East Germany unfolds.
Like an expert geologist, Franck is digging deep into her family's extraordinary history creating things of beauty from its dark recesses. Diamond-hard and full of glittering prose, Back to Back is a powerful and moving book. I suspect there are more gems to come
—— David Annand , Sunday TelegraphIntoxicating... A curious fusion of stark realism tempered with quirkily stylistic flights of fancy: the trademark of one of Germany’s finest contemporary novelists
—— Malcolm Forbes , Literary ReviewFranck is an outstanding talent of the Germany literary landscape
—— Stuttgarter ZeitungPortrays the rise and fall of the state's ideals via the finely observed life of an artist and her children – a Jewish sculptor who survives to flourish, at a cost, in the GDR
—— Boyd Tonkin , IndependentA virtuoso creator of poetically charged moods...never before has East Germany been so radically depicted as dead at birth as in the arresting, magical narrative web of Julia Franck
—— Literarische WeltFranck skilfully contrasts the romantic language of the children’s fantasies with the bitter reality of emotional neglect
—— Nottingham PostEngaging and shocking
—— Blackpool GazetteA novel that, with its hypnotic language, creates its own realm of relevance... You dive back into the real world in shock
—— Tages AnzeigerThe density of tone is true to the novel’s vision of life as a claustrophobic nightmare
—— Kapka Kassabova , GuardianA harrowing and often difficult read, you will not be able to put this book down
—— UK Press SyndicationA haunting examination of the far-reaching consequences society can have on relationships
—— Good Book GuideA raw novel about the war in Afghanistan . . . the book smells completely authentic
—— ObserverA must-read debut
—— Tom Newton-DunnThis is without doubt the best and most readable account of a modern combat soldier's life that I have read. The unique relationship between officer and soldier is brilliantly explored, as is the impact of war on loved ones left behind. Then there's the raw fear, the shock of the real thing, the loss of comrades and the sense of absolute mutual commitment that carries the day. I cannot commend it too much. A modern classic
—— General Lord RichardsDarkly funny yet moving debut.
—— ShortlistA “serious” novel that is genuinely and frequently funny.
—— Andrew Irwin , The Times Literary SupplementThis debut novel from Jesse Armstrong…is every bit as funny and cringe-inducing as the sitcoms he made his name writing.
—— Charlotte Ellis , Shortlistone of the year’s funniest books.
—— Yasmin Sulaiman , Listbrilliantly funny… the dialogue and the characters are fantastic.
—— Tom Basden , MetroIt’s hard for me to believe that this amazing, touching book is a debut novel. Absolutely recommend and already on the run for a spot in my top 10.
—— www.thebooksmugglers.comIt is a powerful read; you can almost see the endless mud of the trenches, and sense the fear of those young men.
—— pagesandteablog.wordpress.comAnna Hope wove her spell and managed to conjure up an intriguing tale, quite rich with emotion that held me entranced until the last page. I can’t wait to see what she does next.
—— lynnsbooks.wordpress.comWake is a brilliant debut novel, deeply moving, well-plotted and engrossing.
—— http://ourbookreviewsonline.blogspot.co.ukThis is such a brilliant book; one that is both beautifully written and emotionally involving, with a fascinating plot and wonderful characters who pluck at your heartstrings on every page.
—— http://bookssnob.wordpress.comI have no doubt that Wake is going to be included in my Top Ten books of 2014, I know that it's only January, but this is a book that has had a huge effect on me.
—— randomthingsthroughmyletterbox.blogspot.co.ukThe only regret I have is that I didn’t read this book sooner. WAKE is luxury. Pure luxury.
—— http://missmoretalks.wordpress.comShe manages to capture every single detail, every emotion and every sound.
—— http://lauraslittlebookblog.blogspot.co.ukWake is that rare and beautiful thing: a first novel that sings with such power and grace that it lifts itself effortlessly from the pack. Powerful, passionate, compassionate, it marks the rising of a new star in the literary firmament. Anna Hope is here to stay.
—— M.C. Scott - Author of Rome and chair of the Historical Writers AssociationIntricately researched and beautifully written, with the kind of restrained yet emotional prose one expects from a seasoned author. Its characters, too, have a depth and quiet tragedy one rarely finds in debut fiction. In this centenary year commemorating the outbreak of war, there've been many novels about the conflict:Wake is without doubt one of the best.
—— Hannah Beckerman - Huffington PostA masterclass in historical fiction
—— ObserverImpressive ... A heart-breaking tale of grief and guilt
—— Psychologies Magazine