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The Novelist from Berlin
An engrossing novel inspired by the mysterious true story of Irmgard Keun, a female novelist who defied all the rules during Berlin’s volcanic post-WWI years, as a young German writer exiled for her ideas flees her country and her Nazi-supporting husband, fighting for her art, her life, and her child.
1920s Though the world has changed in the wake of the Great War, it is still ruled by men. Even a woman as resourceful and intelligent as Niki Rittenhaus needs alliances in order to survive. Her marriage to Rickard Länger, a movie producer for Berlin’s Passport Pictures, seems convenient for them both. When Rickard succumbs to increasing pressure from the Nazis to make propaganda movies, a horrified Niki turns away from her own film aspirations and instead, begins to write.
Niki’s first novel, The Berlin Woman , is published under a pseudonym to great success. But Niki knows she cannot stay anonymous for long. The Nazis are cementing their power over Germany—and over her husband. Though she succeeds in escaping Rickard, he directs Hitler’s Brownshirts to do the kidnap their daughter. With her books blacklisted, her life in danger, and Europe descending into war, Niki travels to Amsterdam, joins the Dutch Resistance, and then returns to war-torn Berlin determined to claim freedom for herself and her child, and to write her own story at last.
1920s Though the world has changed in the wake of the Great War, it is still ruled by men. Even a woman as resourceful and intelligent as Niki Rittenhaus needs alliances in order to survive. Her marriage to Rickard Länger, a movie producer for Berlin’s Passport Pictures, seems convenient for them both. When Rickard succumbs to increasing pressure from the Nazis to make propaganda movies, a horrified Niki turns away from her own film aspirations and instead, begins to write.
Niki’s first novel, The Berlin Woman , is published under a pseudonym to great success. But Niki knows she cannot stay anonymous for long. The Nazis are cementing their power over Germany—and over her husband. Though she succeeds in escaping Rickard, he directs Hitler’s Brownshirts to do the kidnap their daughter. With her books blacklisted, her life in danger, and Europe descending into war, Niki travels to Amsterdam, joins the Dutch Resistance, and then returns to war-torn Berlin determined to claim freedom for herself and her child, and to write her own story at last.
400 pages, Paperback
First published September 26, 2023
149 people are currently reading
13333 people want to read
About the author
V.S. Alexander
11 books833 followersAlso see Michael Meeske
I'm happy to share my historical women's fiction with you thanks to Kensington Publishing. My novels feature strong women protagonists whose lives take them on incredible journeys in settings fraught with danger and intrigue. Along the way, they learn about life, love, and themselves.
My writings include: The Magdalen Girls (2017), The Taster (2018), The Irishman's Daughter (2019), The Traitor (2020), and The Sculptress (2021). Two more novels are scheduled for the coming years. I hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I enjoy writing them.
Thank you, and happy reading!
I'm happy to share my historical women's fiction with you thanks to Kensington Publishing. My novels feature strong women protagonists whose lives take them on incredible journeys in settings fraught with danger and intrigue. Along the way, they learn about life, love, and themselves.
My writings include: The Magdalen Girls (2017), The Taster (2018), The Irishman's Daughter (2019), The Traitor (2020), and The Sculptress (2021). Two more novels are scheduled for the coming years. I hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I enjoy writing them.
Thank you, and happy reading!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
May 8, 2024
The Novelist from Berlin
by V.S. Alexander is a fascinating historical fiction novel largely set in Berlin. It covers a period between the 1920s and 1960s so it encompasses the build-up to the war, the war, and the aftermath. Niki Rittenhaus marries Rickard Langer, a movie producer. It seems convenient for them both, but circumstances change as politics change. Niki writes a novel under a pseudonym and has great success until political power shifts in Germany and her book is banned. This is Niki’s story.
Themes of war, political change, betrayal, and how people respond to adversity are woven throughout the novel. There are instances throughout the book that are intense. However, there are long segments where the story meanders and feels very slow. When I read historical fiction, I expect to learn something new, but that wasn’t the case with this novel.
Overall, this was a slow-paced novel and I had a hard time engaging with it. My review is an outlier, so please read other reviews. The novel is a loosely based on the life of German novelist Irmgard Keun and seems to be well-researched.
Kensington Books provided a complimentary physical copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date was September 26, 2023.
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My 3.28 rounded to 3 stars review is coming soon.
Themes of war, political change, betrayal, and how people respond to adversity are woven throughout the novel. There are instances throughout the book that are intense. However, there are long segments where the story meanders and feels very slow. When I read historical fiction, I expect to learn something new, but that wasn’t the case with this novel.
Overall, this was a slow-paced novel and I had a hard time engaging with it. My review is an outlier, so please read other reviews. The novel is a loosely based on the life of German novelist Irmgard Keun and seems to be well-researched.
Kensington Books provided a complimentary physical copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date was September 26, 2023.
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My 3.28 rounded to 3 stars review is coming soon.
February 26, 2024
The Novelist from Berlin by V.S. Alexander is a well-researched work of historical fiction. Based loosely on the life of German novelist Irmgard Keun, the story revolves around Niki (real name Marie Rittenhaus), once an aspiring actress, who eventually becomes a novelist (under a pseudonym) writing about the life of German woman of that era. Her novels are popular and though she continues to write despite Nazi Germany enforcing censorship, her true identity is eventually revealed, and her novels are banned by the Nazi regime on account of her work defying the norms of acceptability as imposed by the ruling party. Her husband, a film producer, bows to political pressure to produce propaganda films. Niki eventually flees but is tracked down by her husband and his contacts and is separated from her young daughter. The novel follows Niki’s journey from 1929 through the end of the Weimar Republic and the rise of Nazi Germany, the WWII years as she flees to Amsterdam and joins the Dutch Resistance, her subsequent return to Germany in hopes of reuniting with her daughter in the aftermath of WWII, and through the 1960s as the newly constructed Berlin Wall cuts off access to West Berlin and she and her dear ones struggle to escape from East Berlin.
The narrative is presented from the perspective of the protagonist, written in the form of a manuscript written when she was seventy-one years old. Brutally honest and well-crafted, I found this novel to be deeply impactful. Though the protagonist is not particularly likable, especially in the initial segments of the novel, I thought the author has done a magnificent job of capturing the plight of anti-Nazi Germans, women in particular, during a period of political and social upheaval. The author references several historical incidents and how the same impacted German citizens including Nazi book burnings, Night of the Long Knives, and the construction of the Berlin Wall, rendering this novel an engrossing read despite the slow start. The Author’s Note is well-written and sheds light on the people and events that inspired this story and the creative liberties taken by the author in framing this novel.
Many thanks to Kensington Books for granting me access to the digital review copy via Edelweiss+. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published in the USA on September 26, 2023.
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
The narrative is presented from the perspective of the protagonist, written in the form of a manuscript written when she was seventy-one years old. Brutally honest and well-crafted, I found this novel to be deeply impactful. Though the protagonist is not particularly likable, especially in the initial segments of the novel, I thought the author has done a magnificent job of capturing the plight of anti-Nazi Germans, women in particular, during a period of political and social upheaval. The author references several historical incidents and how the same impacted German citizens including Nazi book burnings, Night of the Long Knives, and the construction of the Berlin Wall, rendering this novel an engrossing read despite the slow start. The Author’s Note is well-written and sheds light on the people and events that inspired this story and the creative liberties taken by the author in framing this novel.
Many thanks to Kensington Books for granting me access to the digital review copy via Edelweiss+. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published in the USA on September 26, 2023.
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
September 24, 2023
This is a well-written, entertaining, WWII historical fiction novel which is based on actual persons and events. It is informative and well-researched, and told from the point of view of a German novelist with a time frame of before, during, and after WWII. This novel has a diverse group of interesting characters, tragedy, heartbreak, strength, perseverance, hope, and a bittersweet ending. The author's notes are enlightening and are truly appreciated. I received a gift of an ARC of this outstanding novel as a member of Kensington Books Between the Chapters book club, and this is my honest opinion.
July 24, 2023
'The New German Woman lived on the hope of survival, and each day it became clear that her future would be challenging'.
In 1929 Berlin, there were murmurings of Hitler, his SA Brownshirts roamed the streets, intimidating citizens, and bullying the weak. But it's also the age of The New German woman; a new found feminist freedom in the lull between wars. Niki Rittenhaus is such a woman. She lives life on her terms: smoking, drinking bed hopping - whatever it takes to survive. She's even written about being a New German Woman with great acclaim. But as her husband of convenience, Rickard, is slowly sucked into the world of Nazism, and her books are burned in a pro-Nazi rally, she decides to leave and take their daughter too. Now hunted by both her husband and the government, she really does need to do everything to survive not only the years of the war but the years following the war when Communists begin to flex their might. 'Perhaps we have to kill in order to live'.
Based on the real-life author, Irmgard Keun, 'The Novelist from Berlin' is a lot of story, covering decades, packed into an average-sized book. With the division of Berlin and the Communist foothold suffocating part of the city, the war for these Germans lasted a very long time, 'The battle for survival had been so long and hard, I didn't know how much more I could take.' Niki, the protagonist, wholly involves herself in the resistance to Hitler and maintains a never say die attitude throughout. Each time one aspect of the story began to finish, another would begin on the next page. To the point, I truly had no idea how the book would wrap up and end. I've never read V S Alexander before but I was taken with this nuanced, deep story of a WW2 survivor and her life in Germany before, during, and after the war. I will definitely be looking for V S Alexander books in the future.
In 1929 Berlin, there were murmurings of Hitler, his SA Brownshirts roamed the streets, intimidating citizens, and bullying the weak. But it's also the age of The New German woman; a new found feminist freedom in the lull between wars. Niki Rittenhaus is such a woman. She lives life on her terms: smoking, drinking bed hopping - whatever it takes to survive. She's even written about being a New German Woman with great acclaim. But as her husband of convenience, Rickard, is slowly sucked into the world of Nazism, and her books are burned in a pro-Nazi rally, she decides to leave and take their daughter too. Now hunted by both her husband and the government, she really does need to do everything to survive not only the years of the war but the years following the war when Communists begin to flex their might. 'Perhaps we have to kill in order to live'.
Based on the real-life author, Irmgard Keun, 'The Novelist from Berlin' is a lot of story, covering decades, packed into an average-sized book. With the division of Berlin and the Communist foothold suffocating part of the city, the war for these Germans lasted a very long time, 'The battle for survival had been so long and hard, I didn't know how much more I could take.' Niki, the protagonist, wholly involves herself in the resistance to Hitler and maintains a never say die attitude throughout. Each time one aspect of the story began to finish, another would begin on the next page. To the point, I truly had no idea how the book would wrap up and end. I've never read V S Alexander before but I was taken with this nuanced, deep story of a WW2 survivor and her life in Germany before, during, and after the war. I will definitely be looking for V S Alexander books in the future.
January 25, 2024
I have no compelling reason not to finish this book except that I didn’t like it. By 40 pages I so disliked the character of Niki I didn’t care what happened to her and anyway I didn’t care for the writing so that was that. I have no intention of reading 400 pages of a book I don't like.
I know Niki is supposed to be based on the author Irmgard Keun but even that didn’t encourage me to read on. I’ll look up Keun on Wikipedia and that’s good enough for me.
I know Niki is supposed to be based on the author Irmgard Keun but even that didn’t encourage me to read on. I’ll look up Keun on Wikipedia and that’s good enough for me.
September 10, 2023
Marie Rittenhaus wants to be independent, her father died in The Great War and she lives with her mother a strict Lutheran and she finds it suffocating. Marie moves to Berlin, she hangs out at the Leopard Club, her friends give her the nickname Niki, they smoke, drink and pick up men for the night.
Here she meets Rickard Länger, he’s a movie producer for Passport Pictures and Niki auditions for a minor role. Niki marries Rickard, he has a nice apartment, it gives her security and no more worrying about how she's going to pay the rent. In her spare time Niki writes a book called The Berlin Woman using a pseudonym, it becomes a best seller until the Germans start banning books and burning them and including hers.
Niki is shocked to discover Rickard is producing propaganda and anti-Jewish films, she flees with her daughter Laura and goes to stay with her mother Freida and it doesn’t take long for Rickard and the brown-shirts he’s involved with to find them.
With her books blacklisted, her identity exposed it’s too dangerous for Niki to stay in Berlin and she escapes to Amsterdam. Niki and her friend Emil know it’s only a matter of time before the Germans invade the Netherlands and they work for the Dutch resistance. Niki has to return to Berlin, she takes drastic precautions because her name is on a wanted list and she desperately wants to find Laura?
I received a digital copy of The Novelist from Berlin by V.S. Alexander from Kensington Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Mr. Alexander uses Irmgard Keun as inspiration for his own book, she’s was a novelist who wrote about the new modern German women and like the main character Niki.
A well-researched story and about everything Niki experienced during one of the most volatile times in history. The stock market crash, the night of the long knives, fleeing to the Netherlands, the allies bombing Berlin, waiting for the Russians to invade and what would happen afterwards, Germany being divided up into four zones, Berlin Airlift and the building of the Berlin Wall. Perfect for readers who enjoy historical fiction based on strong and brave women, what they do to survive and four stars from me.
Here she meets Rickard Länger, he’s a movie producer for Passport Pictures and Niki auditions for a minor role. Niki marries Rickard, he has a nice apartment, it gives her security and no more worrying about how she's going to pay the rent. In her spare time Niki writes a book called The Berlin Woman using a pseudonym, it becomes a best seller until the Germans start banning books and burning them and including hers.
Niki is shocked to discover Rickard is producing propaganda and anti-Jewish films, she flees with her daughter Laura and goes to stay with her mother Freida and it doesn’t take long for Rickard and the brown-shirts he’s involved with to find them.
With her books blacklisted, her identity exposed it’s too dangerous for Niki to stay in Berlin and she escapes to Amsterdam. Niki and her friend Emil know it’s only a matter of time before the Germans invade the Netherlands and they work for the Dutch resistance. Niki has to return to Berlin, she takes drastic precautions because her name is on a wanted list and she desperately wants to find Laura?
I received a digital copy of The Novelist from Berlin by V.S. Alexander from Kensington Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Mr. Alexander uses Irmgard Keun as inspiration for his own book, she’s was a novelist who wrote about the new modern German women and like the main character Niki.
A well-researched story and about everything Niki experienced during one of the most volatile times in history. The stock market crash, the night of the long knives, fleeing to the Netherlands, the allies bombing Berlin, waiting for the Russians to invade and what would happen afterwards, Germany being divided up into four zones, Berlin Airlift and the building of the Berlin Wall. Perfect for readers who enjoy historical fiction based on strong and brave women, what they do to survive and four stars from me.
July 13, 2023
V.S. Alexander’s novel is inspired by Irmgard Keun, a German novelist who lived in exile because her books were blacklisted by the Nazis. Keun bravely and unabashedly wrote about German society and German women in a manner that had never been explored before - a manner that contradicted those of the rising power.
Alexander’s character, Niki, like Keun, married a film producer who had differing political views. When Niki chose to write about the modern German woman, her books were burned and her husband became friendlier with the Nazis. When she brazenly faced the Gestapo, she was stripped of everything and forced into hiding. Niki feared not only her husband but also the Nazis. She felt helpless in fighting against the regime that was taking so much from her.
I was as shocked at the censorship and thuggery of the Nazis as I was by the seeming complacency of the German population. I read in awe as the author used Niki as a conduit to highlight historical events and I began to see how acceptance became the norm and how it is creeping into our society today. Alexander’s spotlight on this daredevilish bold woman has honoured her legacy. He has shown us how much trailblazers, such as Keun, lost and is giving back by resurrecting their fight to be seen and heard. They will not be buried by history.
This novel is a wake-up call, a call to arms, if you will, to protect our freedom of speech and expression so that history doesn’t repeat itself.
I was gifted this copy by Kensington Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Alexander’s character, Niki, like Keun, married a film producer who had differing political views. When Niki chose to write about the modern German woman, her books were burned and her husband became friendlier with the Nazis. When she brazenly faced the Gestapo, she was stripped of everything and forced into hiding. Niki feared not only her husband but also the Nazis. She felt helpless in fighting against the regime that was taking so much from her.
I was as shocked at the censorship and thuggery of the Nazis as I was by the seeming complacency of the German population. I read in awe as the author used Niki as a conduit to highlight historical events and I began to see how acceptance became the norm and how it is creeping into our society today. Alexander’s spotlight on this daredevilish bold woman has honoured her legacy. He has shown us how much trailblazers, such as Keun, lost and is giving back by resurrecting their fight to be seen and heard. They will not be buried by history.
This novel is a wake-up call, a call to arms, if you will, to protect our freedom of speech and expression so that history doesn’t repeat itself.
I was gifted this copy by Kensington Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
November 19, 2024
The Novelist from Berlin by V.S. Alexander is a historical fiction novel set in Nazi Germany starting in the 1930 -1945. It follows the story of Alina, a writer who becomes involved with the Resistance while trying to survive the volatile political landscape of the time. As she uses her words to bring attention against oppression. The novel tells a story of courage and survival. Alexander writes about Berlin during this terrible time in history. Alina has to run to survive leaving her Nazi husband and child. The terrible decisions and sacrifices she makes fuels her survival.
August 4, 2024
Won this via goodreads giveaways, all my opinions are my own.
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The slow pace allows you to take in everything that is happening and to feel the horror and tension of it all but it also doesn't allow to feel fully connected to the characters times.
Maybe that's purposeful, the characters keeping you at arm's length because they don't trust anyone and don't want to get hurt.
The ending happened quickly, which fit with the urgency of the situation 😳 at least.
All in all, I did enjoy the book and will pass it on to someone else (and will check out the author's other books as well eventually).
Read the author's note too, it was very interesting (I prefer to read about the brave things and heroics people did/the little known stories rather than sweeping romances).
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The slow pace allows you to take in everything that is happening and to feel the horror and tension of it all but it also doesn't allow to feel fully connected to the characters times.
Maybe that's purposeful, the characters keeping you at arm's length because they don't trust anyone and don't want to get hurt.
The ending happened quickly, which fit with the urgency of the situation 😳 at least.
All in all, I did enjoy the book and will pass it on to someone else (and will check out the author's other books as well eventually).
Read the author's note too, it was very interesting (I prefer to read about the brave things and heroics people did/the little known stories rather than sweeping romances).
April 22, 2023
The Novelist from Berlin covers the time period from the 1930s to the 1960s but most of the story is centered on World War II and the aftermath of the war in Berlin. The book is based on a real person, Irmgard Keun, who was a novelist in Berlin before the war. When her books were banned by the Nazis, she knew she was in danger and fled Germany for the Netherlands where she did what she could to help fight against the Nazi regime.
In the early 1930s, an 18 year old girl, who was called Niki by her friends, was what she referred to as a New German Woman. She smoked and drank and had lots of boyfriends and affairs. At a club, she meets Rickard Langer who was a major movie producer in Berlin. Seeing a chance to become a movie star, she begins a relationship with him and they eventually marry. He isn't the love of her life but she has a better standard of living by staying with him. There is limited work for her at the studios so she decides to write a book about the New German woman. It becomes very popular until the Nazi hierarchy becomes aware of it and bans the book. Though he wasn't a Nazi, her husband became friends with many and his studio began to produce Nazi propaganda films. She grabs their young daughter and escapes only to have her daughter taken from her and her life threatened. She escapes to the Netherlands for safety but as soon as the Germans invade, her life is again in danger. Eventually she feels the need to return to Berlin to help the resistance and search for her daughter. Will she ever find her daughter or find peace in war torn Berlin after the war ends?
Niki led a pretty exciting life and stayed right on the edge of danger. She was a strong woman -- too strong to stay in a marriage with a man she no longer respected and strong enough to work with the resistance in the Netherlands and Berlin. She was strong enough to spend years trying to find her daughter, protect her best friend and learn how to be a daughter to her mother after years of estrangement.
As with previous novels by this author, the book is well researched and it shows on every page. V. S. Alexander has once again given his readers the story of a strong and resilient woman willing to risk her life to save those she loves during horrific times.
In the early 1930s, an 18 year old girl, who was called Niki by her friends, was what she referred to as a New German Woman. She smoked and drank and had lots of boyfriends and affairs. At a club, she meets Rickard Langer who was a major movie producer in Berlin. Seeing a chance to become a movie star, she begins a relationship with him and they eventually marry. He isn't the love of her life but she has a better standard of living by staying with him. There is limited work for her at the studios so she decides to write a book about the New German woman. It becomes very popular until the Nazi hierarchy becomes aware of it and bans the book. Though he wasn't a Nazi, her husband became friends with many and his studio began to produce Nazi propaganda films. She grabs their young daughter and escapes only to have her daughter taken from her and her life threatened. She escapes to the Netherlands for safety but as soon as the Germans invade, her life is again in danger. Eventually she feels the need to return to Berlin to help the resistance and search for her daughter. Will she ever find her daughter or find peace in war torn Berlin after the war ends?
Niki led a pretty exciting life and stayed right on the edge of danger. She was a strong woman -- too strong to stay in a marriage with a man she no longer respected and strong enough to work with the resistance in the Netherlands and Berlin. She was strong enough to spend years trying to find her daughter, protect her best friend and learn how to be a daughter to her mother after years of estrangement.
As with previous novels by this author, the book is well researched and it shows on every page. V. S. Alexander has once again given his readers the story of a strong and resilient woman willing to risk her life to save those she loves during horrific times.
March 24, 2025
It never ceases to amaze me when I read a WW2 book that brings to light a new perspective. The Novelist From Berlin was a novel and fascinating account of a German woman's experience navigating the rise of the Nazis, WW2, and the division of East and West Germany post-WW2. This book was based on the real life of German novelist Irmgard Keon. I was captivated by this historical fiction that spanned almost three decades.
Niki is a young twenty something with big dreams in post WW1 Berlin. She meets Rickard, a movie producer of Passport Pictures, who offers her a role in a vampire movie he's producing. During the filming, her and Rickard's relationship deepens, and the Nazis start to show an interest in Rickard's production studio as a means to spread Nazi propaganda. Niki is drawn into Rickard's prosperous lifestyle and eventually agrees to move in with him. Once she and Rickard are married, Niki is finally able to write the book she's dreamed of writing about a modern-day independent German woman. Her book is published under a pen name and becomes a success just as the Nazis climb to power. Unfortunately, her book goes against Nazi ideals, and its writer is considered an enemy to the Reich. Niki must make difficult decisions to remain true to her morals and keep herself safe.
The writing was engaging, and the characters were brought to life. I grew to care about and root for Niki as she navigated challenge after challenge. She was a strong woman with relatable flaws.The plot was dynamic with an overarching sense of danger and adventure. The audiobook performance was a bit on the bland side but good enough to keep the reader invested.
Thank you #NetGalley for an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Niki is a young twenty something with big dreams in post WW1 Berlin. She meets Rickard, a movie producer of Passport Pictures, who offers her a role in a vampire movie he's producing. During the filming, her and Rickard's relationship deepens, and the Nazis start to show an interest in Rickard's production studio as a means to spread Nazi propaganda. Niki is drawn into Rickard's prosperous lifestyle and eventually agrees to move in with him. Once she and Rickard are married, Niki is finally able to write the book she's dreamed of writing about a modern-day independent German woman. Her book is published under a pen name and becomes a success just as the Nazis climb to power. Unfortunately, her book goes against Nazi ideals, and its writer is considered an enemy to the Reich. Niki must make difficult decisions to remain true to her morals and keep herself safe.
The writing was engaging, and the characters were brought to life. I grew to care about and root for Niki as she navigated challenge after challenge. She was a strong woman with relatable flaws.The plot was dynamic with an overarching sense of danger and adventure. The audiobook performance was a bit on the bland side but good enough to keep the reader invested.
Thank you #NetGalley for an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
May 31, 2024
A story based on a real life woman writer, Irmgard Keun, who dared to stand against the Nazis? I couldn’t not enthusiastically take up The Novelist From Berlin by a new to me author about her own original heroine, Marie ‘Niki’ Rittenhaus.
The Novelist From Berlin opens with a prologue from a seventy-one year old woman’s perspective. The rest of the book is a manuscript autobiography of her life. She begins in 1929 when the Nazis were an emerging power in their ‘brown shirts’ and bully tactics that she despised. She wondered how they were gaining such momentum in her country. However, at eighteen, Marie’s focus as an actress trying to make a place for herself, was living in the moment with parties, booze, and men. She catches the eye of a leading movie producer, Rickard Langer, and sees him as her big chance to get a leg up in the show business. She’s a ‘New German Woman’ and writes about it under a pseudo name to success and her convenient marriage and daughter are part of that or so she thinks.
Unfortunately, her attempt to avoid the Nazis as they rise to power is unsuccessful. Her husband is producing propaganda movies for them and they steamroll over any in opposition. Marie’s books are burned and it’s only a matter of time before they work out she wrote them. She attempts to escape with her daughter, unsuccessfully. Her daughter is taken from her by Rickard and his powerful Nazi friends. She escapes into the Netherlands and fights the Nazis in the Resistance group always intent on getting back to Berlin and her daughter, Laura.
The Novelist From Berlin tells of Germany from a non-Nazi German woman’s perspective and crosses the decades from between the World Wars, the Berlin Wall, and beyond. Marie was not an attractive heroine to me at first, but her plucky, survival instinct and drive won me over. She lived through horrific times when survival was to be celebrated. The times shaped her and the author’s talent to get inside such a woman and situation was amazing. I was emotional and tense through the reading.
I appreciated the author’s note in the back about the real life woman who inspired her fictional story. Her story is loosely based so that the woman writer who defied the Nazis is about the only similarity, but both real life and fictional women can be appreciated greatly. I definitely want read more of VS Alexander’s work and highly recommend this one to those who want WWII-era historical fiction especially since this is from an insider’s POV.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on 5.26.24
#ThriftyThursday
The Novelist From Berlin opens with a prologue from a seventy-one year old woman’s perspective. The rest of the book is a manuscript autobiography of her life. She begins in 1929 when the Nazis were an emerging power in their ‘brown shirts’ and bully tactics that she despised. She wondered how they were gaining such momentum in her country. However, at eighteen, Marie’s focus as an actress trying to make a place for herself, was living in the moment with parties, booze, and men. She catches the eye of a leading movie producer, Rickard Langer, and sees him as her big chance to get a leg up in the show business. She’s a ‘New German Woman’ and writes about it under a pseudo name to success and her convenient marriage and daughter are part of that or so she thinks.
Unfortunately, her attempt to avoid the Nazis as they rise to power is unsuccessful. Her husband is producing propaganda movies for them and they steamroll over any in opposition. Marie’s books are burned and it’s only a matter of time before they work out she wrote them. She attempts to escape with her daughter, unsuccessfully. Her daughter is taken from her by Rickard and his powerful Nazi friends. She escapes into the Netherlands and fights the Nazis in the Resistance group always intent on getting back to Berlin and her daughter, Laura.
The Novelist From Berlin tells of Germany from a non-Nazi German woman’s perspective and crosses the decades from between the World Wars, the Berlin Wall, and beyond. Marie was not an attractive heroine to me at first, but her plucky, survival instinct and drive won me over. She lived through horrific times when survival was to be celebrated. The times shaped her and the author’s talent to get inside such a woman and situation was amazing. I was emotional and tense through the reading.
I appreciated the author’s note in the back about the real life woman who inspired her fictional story. Her story is loosely based so that the woman writer who defied the Nazis is about the only similarity, but both real life and fictional women can be appreciated greatly. I definitely want read more of VS Alexander’s work and highly recommend this one to those who want WWII-era historical fiction especially since this is from an insider’s POV.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on 5.26.24
#ThriftyThursday
August 20, 2023
*Thank you to Kensington Books and Penguin Random House for this great read!
5.0
Bracelet, kidnapped, blacklist...
The Novelist from Berlin is loosely based on actual author Irmgard Keun.
In 1920s Germany, Niki (nee Marie Rittenhaus) married movie producer Rickard Langer. When Rickard is pressured to make propaganda films, Niki quits her budding acting career and begins to write. Eventually her two books written under a pen name are burned and she is blacklisted.
Niki's cliffhanging saga includes differing political views, leaving Germany with her daughter, her daughter's kidnapping, her escape to Amsterdam with her Jewish lover, joining the Dutch Resistance, and reunion efforts following the war.
An emotional story of loss, boldness, coping, tenacity, hope, and strength.
Available September 26, 2023
*The prologue pulled me in! Loved the farmhouse / manuscript scenario.
*The last 20 pages had me on the edge of my seat! What an ending!
*I really liked the part about the post-war years of Niki's story. Informative and expressive.
*Painted a very descriptive picture of the sectors/life in Berlin post-war. Lots of new-to-me information.
*I was not aware of the Weimar Republic Years in history.
*First-time reader of this author. I would like to read previous books.
*Despite the horrors of WWII, this well-researched book was well done and a good read. Recommend!
5.0
Bracelet, kidnapped, blacklist...
The Novelist from Berlin is loosely based on actual author Irmgard Keun.
In 1920s Germany, Niki (nee Marie Rittenhaus) married movie producer Rickard Langer. When Rickard is pressured to make propaganda films, Niki quits her budding acting career and begins to write. Eventually her two books written under a pen name are burned and she is blacklisted.
Niki's cliffhanging saga includes differing political views, leaving Germany with her daughter, her daughter's kidnapping, her escape to Amsterdam with her Jewish lover, joining the Dutch Resistance, and reunion efforts following the war.
An emotional story of loss, boldness, coping, tenacity, hope, and strength.
Available September 26, 2023
*The prologue pulled me in! Loved the farmhouse / manuscript scenario.
*The last 20 pages had me on the edge of my seat! What an ending!
*I really liked the part about the post-war years of Niki's story. Informative and expressive.
*Painted a very descriptive picture of the sectors/life in Berlin post-war. Lots of new-to-me information.
*I was not aware of the Weimar Republic Years in history.
*First-time reader of this author. I would like to read previous books.
*Despite the horrors of WWII, this well-researched book was well done and a good read. Recommend!
July 22, 2024
The Novelist from Berlin is loosely based on the life of Irmgard Keun, a female novelist who defied all the rules during Berlin's volcanic post-WWI years, who was exiled for her ideas, flees Germany for the Netherlands, fighting for her art, her life, and her child, eventually returning to rebuild her life during the Cold War. Following WW1, women were still second class citizens. Niki Rittenhaus is an independent woman, but still needs an association with a man to get anywhere. She marries Rickard Länger, a movie producer for Berlin’s Passport Pictures, and they seem happy. As the Nazis rise to power, Rickard buckles under pressure and begins to make propaganda movies. Nicki is horrified and turns away from acting and begins to write. Her books are considered degenerate and are banned. Her publisher sues the Nazis, but loses the case and he along with his authors are fined and in many cases jailed. Nicki plans to flee the country, when her and Rickard's daughter, Laura, is snatched from her by the SS and taken to Rickard. If she wants to leave, she will leave alone. The is the story is her life in exile, her work with the resistance and her fight to reconnect with her daughter once she returns to Germany after the end of the war.
Although a large portion of this story is set during WW2, it stretches over a longer period of time leading up to and after the war. The Novelist From Berlin is a well-researched story sharing things that the authors would have gone through during this time. It incorporates the stock market crash, the night of the long knives, fleeing to Amsterdam, the allies bombing Berlin, waiting for the Russians to invade and the consequences of that, Germany being divided up, the building of the Berlin Wall, and the resulting life of living in a communist/military area. The search for Laura was heartbreaking, and something that I haven't read a lot about. Germany was a mess after the war, and it was the people who suffered, even those who didn't support the Nazis. I found this an interesting story and I felt such empathy for what Nicki went through. There were many characters that were affected by the war throughout this book, that also played important roles, Nicki was the main character who carried the book. Although many found it slow, I thought the pace was perfect for the story. If you enjoy historical fiction based on strong and brave women, especially those based on real people, then this just might be the book for you. The audiobook was narrated by Deborah Balm and I enjoyed her performance. She made the story come alive for me and added to my enjoyment.
Although a large portion of this story is set during WW2, it stretches over a longer period of time leading up to and after the war. The Novelist From Berlin is a well-researched story sharing things that the authors would have gone through during this time. It incorporates the stock market crash, the night of the long knives, fleeing to Amsterdam, the allies bombing Berlin, waiting for the Russians to invade and the consequences of that, Germany being divided up, the building of the Berlin Wall, and the resulting life of living in a communist/military area. The search for Laura was heartbreaking, and something that I haven't read a lot about. Germany was a mess after the war, and it was the people who suffered, even those who didn't support the Nazis. I found this an interesting story and I felt such empathy for what Nicki went through. There were many characters that were affected by the war throughout this book, that also played important roles, Nicki was the main character who carried the book. Although many found it slow, I thought the pace was perfect for the story. If you enjoy historical fiction based on strong and brave women, especially those based on real people, then this just might be the book for you. The audiobook was narrated by Deborah Balm and I enjoyed her performance. She made the story come alive for me and added to my enjoyment.
September 15, 2023
This book was sent to me by the publisher. I usually try to stay away from WWII novels but if I'm sent a book I am going to read it. I liked that this one went beyond WWII and into the Berlin wall being built. Also, it is a WWII novel set in Germany. All Germans were not Nazis. There were many opposed to Hitler and many that just wanted to live their daily lives. So this book is loosely based on Irmgard Keun. She was a novelist in Berlin, hence the title, and the Nazis banned her books and she actually sued them. Obviously she lost the case but what guts to do that. She fled to The Netherlands but we know the Nazis ended up occupying them too. People believed she faked her death to return to Germany to be with her parents and that is pretty much what is known about her. This book obviously takes a lot of creative license and makes an engaging story of her being a part of the Dutch Resistance and taking a lot of risks. And to go from Nazi control to the Soviet Union control after the war was not much better. I ended up really liking it, although some parts were hard to read with the treatment of people and these books make me angry which is why I try to stay away from them. But reading these kind of books also make me so happy I was born in the USA.
-Who cares about fighting, the destruction of countries, the slaughter of millions, when one's stomach is empty? Starvation and poverty are persuasive motivators for political gain.
-"If my mother taught me one thing, it was that men and their political dreams can destroy the world. Hitler proved it. Stalin proved it as well. I want to live like the Americans, the British, and the French. I want liberty. If I write a book, I don't want it banned. I don't want to hide, or risk death, because I loved a Jew."
So now these quotes come under Soviet Rule:
-The veils of secrecy, retribution, and torture had created a culture of distrust so pervasive that any meeting was dangerous.
-As in Germany under Hitler's rule, people disappeared. It seemed as if the goal of the government was to imprison all of its citizens or to brand them as criminals.
-Who cares about fighting, the destruction of countries, the slaughter of millions, when one's stomach is empty? Starvation and poverty are persuasive motivators for political gain.
-"If my mother taught me one thing, it was that men and their political dreams can destroy the world. Hitler proved it. Stalin proved it as well. I want to live like the Americans, the British, and the French. I want liberty. If I write a book, I don't want it banned. I don't want to hide, or risk death, because I loved a Jew."
So now these quotes come under Soviet Rule:
-The veils of secrecy, retribution, and torture had created a culture of distrust so pervasive that any meeting was dangerous.
-As in Germany under Hitler's rule, people disappeared. It seemed as if the goal of the government was to imprison all of its citizens or to brand them as criminals.
April 1, 2024
V.S. Alexander was inspired by the true story of Irmgard Keun to write about a female author living in Germany during the rise of the Nazi party. The heavily fictionalized account of Marie Rittenhaus is an eye-opening and well-researched look into the experiences of normal German citizens, who didn't agree with the ideals of Adolf Hitler. I struggled with the beginning of the novel, particularly because I found the character of Marie to be very off-putting. However, I was fascinated by the depiction of life in Berlin from the mid-1940s through the 1960s, as I'd never really considered the experience of the German citizens in that period.
I listened to the audiobook, which was very well narrated by Deborah Balm, who did a great job of imbuing her voice with emotion without slipping into melodrama.
Thank you to HighBridge Audio and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
I listened to the audiobook, which was very well narrated by Deborah Balm, who did a great job of imbuing her voice with emotion without slipping into melodrama.
Thank you to HighBridge Audio and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
April 8, 2023
An interesting historical novel set in the Great War era. It is full of warmth, emotion and suspense. The storyline was well written and the characters were interesting.
Thank you to V.S. Alexander, NetGalley and Kensington Books for the arc of this book
Thank you to V.S. Alexander, NetGalley and Kensington Books for the arc of this book
August 31, 2023
Marie “Niki” Rittenhaus is a “New German Woman” with a front row seat to history. As a modern young lady in the German capital during the rise of Nazism, she witnesses their increase in power and aggression. She also meets and marries Rickard, a debonaire movie producer who promises her a glamourous life. While she lives a life of luxury with her husband, she writes a couple of novels about women like herself, who have casual affairs and use men for personal gain, which contradicts Hitler’s ideal of German women’s roles. Eventually, her books are banned and burned. Rickard, meanwhile, is under pressure to produce propaganda films for the Nazis and he readily succumbs.
As the book progresses, Niki’s plight becomes more dangerous. Her story spans decades, from the beginning of fascism, through the war and its aftermath, and into the division of Germany and beyond. It’s not a fast-paced novel, but there was enough action and emotion to keep me intrigued. There were a few inconsistencies throughout that I found mildly annoying, but otherwise it was a solid historical novel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
As the book progresses, Niki’s plight becomes more dangerous. Her story spans decades, from the beginning of fascism, through the war and its aftermath, and into the division of Germany and beyond. It’s not a fast-paced novel, but there was enough action and emotion to keep me intrigued. There were a few inconsistencies throughout that I found mildly annoying, but otherwise it was a solid historical novel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
August 26, 2023
I think the cover fits the book well & along with the title would have me picking the book up from a store shelf to learn more!
The main character is Marie or Niki as her best friend Lottie names her, saying it is more fitting for the modern woman Marie wishes to be. Marie/Niki regularly frequents a local bar with best friend Lottie soon becoming firm friends with bartender Rudi. Marie/Niki considers herself a new modern German woman who doesn't need marriage and children to fulfill her, she wants more, a single, free life. Marie/Niki enjoys the single life, flirting and if she chooses sleeping with whom she pleases. Her mother Frieda is not so impressed with the life her daughter is leading, waiting for what she sees as the inevitable day she will return home single, shamed and pregnant! Though Frieda & Marie/Niki don't have what you would say a close relationship they are there for each other and offer each other support when most needed. Lottie is the other constant friend in Marie/Niki's world.
It's whilst at the bar a man, Rikard Langer, a movie producer catches Marie/Niki's eye and attention and she asks the bartender Rudi to call her the next time Rikard is in the bar. One thing leads to another and Marie/Niki end up in first an arrangement of convenience, living together, then a relationship, and finally becoming husband & wife.
Now relatively comfortably off Marie/Niki begins to write, something she has always wanted to do. At first Rikard unconditionally supports her, but then urges her to be cautious as the Nazis will not like her books as the women in them do not conform to that of a 'Good Nazis German Wife & Mother'
At the same time their happy life and potential future is interrupted by Adolf Hitler, the mad man who wants power and hates Jews.
When Marie/Niki's books are banned & burned by the Nazis she knows she is in danger and with
Rickard being coerced into making films for the Third Reich and becoming more and more drawn into 'party politics' it's too much uncertainty and danger for Marie/Niki. Despite Marie begging him to leave, Rikard believes he knows better that everything will soon be over and that Hitler will not gain the power he seeks. Marie/Niki leaves with their daughter. However Rickard has already lost a son to a previous broken marriage and is determined not to lose his daughter, so with his friends in high places in the ever gaining strengthened Nazis he takes his daughter back and Marie/Niki is warned to stay away.
Marie/Niki briefly finds happiness with a Jewish man Emil, even escaping Berlin, living with him and his Uncle, joining a small resistance group when once again the Nazis come for the Jewish population. When Emil and his Uncle disappear, probably to a work camp, then extermination camp and the Nazis becoming stronger danger is round every corner. Marie/Niki finds herself back in Berlin searching for a glimpse of her daughter, back in contact with her mother Frieda and best friend Lottie.
Even when the Nazis are defeated the war is not over for Marie/Niki, having to live with different factions ruling different parts of Berlin and Germany. Marie/Niki once again does what she has to in order to survive, trading information with those who some would consider the enemy. Finally Marie/Niki finds her daughter pregnant and trapped in an abusive marriage, being trapped along with Lottie and her family on the 'wrong side' of the Berlin Wall.
This is a mixed difficult review. I honestly disliked the main character at first, Marie seemed somewhat cold and self centred at times. I just didn't take to Marie/Niki at all but as time went on and you got to know her more and what she went through was revealed I couldn't help but warm to her. In the end I didn't want her story to end I wanted a better outcome for her, different to the one she ended up with. I really wanted her to find a happy ever after, which I know in her own way she says she does. Marie/Niki definitely lived many different lives during her lifetime, from single modern German woman, to lover & actress, the wife & mother. Marie/Niki also played her part in smaller acts of Defiance against first the Nazis then the Stasi. You could say Marie learns to use men to get what she wants and where she wants to be but it's not without costs to herself and some major losses along the way. I found myself asking how much more can this woman take many times during the book especially when she was separated from her young child by the Nazis and her then husband who went along with the Nazis for a quiet life but found himself drawn in deeper and deeper making propaganda films for them.
Throughout the book Marie/Niki always has her friend Lottie and her mother Frieda as constant support whenever she needs them. There's some seriously sad scenes, one in particular between Rickard and Marie, making you wonder if the Nazis had never got control if their life would have been different, a happier ending. Then the devastating endings for some of the characters.
Favourite characters were Lottie always there to help her friend Marie/Niki, and Emil who knew his precious time with Marie/Niki was limited because of the Nazis threat.
I enjoyed reading about the acts of Defiance the Jewish and some German people were brave enough to carry out, from printing & distributing leaflets, to courting & killing Nazis, to digging a tunnel under the Berlin wall to escape to the other side. They all added up to making this book a realistic, intriguing and at times edge of your seat read! In the end I didn't want Marie/Niki's story to end I wanted a better outcome for her, different to the one she ended up with.
Summing up, though initially a bit of a slow burner I really enjoyed reading this book. Then to find out it was loosely based on a real German woman made it all the more poignant and interesting!
The main character is Marie or Niki as her best friend Lottie names her, saying it is more fitting for the modern woman Marie wishes to be. Marie/Niki regularly frequents a local bar with best friend Lottie soon becoming firm friends with bartender Rudi. Marie/Niki considers herself a new modern German woman who doesn't need marriage and children to fulfill her, she wants more, a single, free life. Marie/Niki enjoys the single life, flirting and if she chooses sleeping with whom she pleases. Her mother Frieda is not so impressed with the life her daughter is leading, waiting for what she sees as the inevitable day she will return home single, shamed and pregnant! Though Frieda & Marie/Niki don't have what you would say a close relationship they are there for each other and offer each other support when most needed. Lottie is the other constant friend in Marie/Niki's world.
It's whilst at the bar a man, Rikard Langer, a movie producer catches Marie/Niki's eye and attention and she asks the bartender Rudi to call her the next time Rikard is in the bar. One thing leads to another and Marie/Niki end up in first an arrangement of convenience, living together, then a relationship, and finally becoming husband & wife.
Now relatively comfortably off Marie/Niki begins to write, something she has always wanted to do. At first Rikard unconditionally supports her, but then urges her to be cautious as the Nazis will not like her books as the women in them do not conform to that of a 'Good Nazis German Wife & Mother'
At the same time their happy life and potential future is interrupted by Adolf Hitler, the mad man who wants power and hates Jews.
When Marie/Niki's books are banned & burned by the Nazis she knows she is in danger and with
Rickard being coerced into making films for the Third Reich and becoming more and more drawn into 'party politics' it's too much uncertainty and danger for Marie/Niki. Despite Marie begging him to leave, Rikard believes he knows better that everything will soon be over and that Hitler will not gain the power he seeks. Marie/Niki leaves with their daughter. However Rickard has already lost a son to a previous broken marriage and is determined not to lose his daughter, so with his friends in high places in the ever gaining strengthened Nazis he takes his daughter back and Marie/Niki is warned to stay away.
Marie/Niki briefly finds happiness with a Jewish man Emil, even escaping Berlin, living with him and his Uncle, joining a small resistance group when once again the Nazis come for the Jewish population. When Emil and his Uncle disappear, probably to a work camp, then extermination camp and the Nazis becoming stronger danger is round every corner. Marie/Niki finds herself back in Berlin searching for a glimpse of her daughter, back in contact with her mother Frieda and best friend Lottie.
Even when the Nazis are defeated the war is not over for Marie/Niki, having to live with different factions ruling different parts of Berlin and Germany. Marie/Niki once again does what she has to in order to survive, trading information with those who some would consider the enemy. Finally Marie/Niki finds her daughter pregnant and trapped in an abusive marriage, being trapped along with Lottie and her family on the 'wrong side' of the Berlin Wall.
This is a mixed difficult review. I honestly disliked the main character at first, Marie seemed somewhat cold and self centred at times. I just didn't take to Marie/Niki at all but as time went on and you got to know her more and what she went through was revealed I couldn't help but warm to her. In the end I didn't want her story to end I wanted a better outcome for her, different to the one she ended up with. I really wanted her to find a happy ever after, which I know in her own way she says she does. Marie/Niki definitely lived many different lives during her lifetime, from single modern German woman, to lover & actress, the wife & mother. Marie/Niki also played her part in smaller acts of Defiance against first the Nazis then the Stasi. You could say Marie learns to use men to get what she wants and where she wants to be but it's not without costs to herself and some major losses along the way. I found myself asking how much more can this woman take many times during the book especially when she was separated from her young child by the Nazis and her then husband who went along with the Nazis for a quiet life but found himself drawn in deeper and deeper making propaganda films for them.
Throughout the book Marie/Niki always has her friend Lottie and her mother Frieda as constant support whenever she needs them. There's some seriously sad scenes, one in particular between Rickard and Marie, making you wonder if the Nazis had never got control if their life would have been different, a happier ending. Then the devastating endings for some of the characters.
Favourite characters were Lottie always there to help her friend Marie/Niki, and Emil who knew his precious time with Marie/Niki was limited because of the Nazis threat.
I enjoyed reading about the acts of Defiance the Jewish and some German people were brave enough to carry out, from printing & distributing leaflets, to courting & killing Nazis, to digging a tunnel under the Berlin wall to escape to the other side. They all added up to making this book a realistic, intriguing and at times edge of your seat read! In the end I didn't want Marie/Niki's story to end I wanted a better outcome for her, different to the one she ended up with.
Summing up, though initially a bit of a slow burner I really enjoyed reading this book. Then to find out it was loosely based on a real German woman made it all the more poignant and interesting!
October 31, 2023
Inspired by a true story, this book tells the story of a woman who lived in Berlin and who stood up to the Nazis as best she could. It was an easy and engrossing read, if much of it felt like stories I had read before. There’s not much that hasn’t been written about the era of Nazi Germany and the ensuing war, but there are some different angles here.
At 18 years of age, Marie Rittenhaus leaves the house she grew up in – and her widowed mother – to strike out on her own in Berlin. It’s 1929, and jobs are hit or miss. Marie changes her name to Niki and goes through a series of men as she tries to survive, along with her friend, Lotti. One night, she spots Rickard Langer at a bar they frequent. He’s a movie producer in Berlin. At first, Niki wants a break with a part in the movie. However, the two develop a relationship and she moves in with him.
Rickard represents the “golden ring” for a woman like Niki. He’s wealthy and dotes on her, expecting little in return. He’s divorced and estranged from his first wife and his son. The Sturmabteilung (SA), the paramilitary part of the Nazi Party, is making life rough for people in Berlin, though. They focus on Rickard as being able to help them with propaganda films. Afraid of standing up to them, he goes along, thinking that it might keep him and the studio afloat.
Niki isn’t so sure. Rickard’s relationship with the Nazis makes her uncomfortable, but she’s pregnant. When she tells Rickard they are married, and it would seem her chance of getting out from under Nazi rule is gone. She’s turned to writing books of her own. The first is about “The New German Woman” which is semi-autobiographical about the lives she and Lotti lived. The second is a tale of the Nazis, disguised in the form of vampires. When the Nazis do come to power, her books are banned. She attempts to sue them for loss of income, but the case is in a court controlled by them.
As Rickard falls to the Nazis more and more, Niki feels she must break from him, and leaves with their daughter. However, there are benefits to being in league with the Nazis and they help him find them. Rickard doesn’t want to lose another child, but Niki will not come back to him.
To read my full review, please go to: https://thoughtsfromthemountaintop.co...
At 18 years of age, Marie Rittenhaus leaves the house she grew up in – and her widowed mother – to strike out on her own in Berlin. It’s 1929, and jobs are hit or miss. Marie changes her name to Niki and goes through a series of men as she tries to survive, along with her friend, Lotti. One night, she spots Rickard Langer at a bar they frequent. He’s a movie producer in Berlin. At first, Niki wants a break with a part in the movie. However, the two develop a relationship and she moves in with him.
Rickard represents the “golden ring” for a woman like Niki. He’s wealthy and dotes on her, expecting little in return. He’s divorced and estranged from his first wife and his son. The Sturmabteilung (SA), the paramilitary part of the Nazi Party, is making life rough for people in Berlin, though. They focus on Rickard as being able to help them with propaganda films. Afraid of standing up to them, he goes along, thinking that it might keep him and the studio afloat.
Niki isn’t so sure. Rickard’s relationship with the Nazis makes her uncomfortable, but she’s pregnant. When she tells Rickard they are married, and it would seem her chance of getting out from under Nazi rule is gone. She’s turned to writing books of her own. The first is about “The New German Woman” which is semi-autobiographical about the lives she and Lotti lived. The second is a tale of the Nazis, disguised in the form of vampires. When the Nazis do come to power, her books are banned. She attempts to sue them for loss of income, but the case is in a court controlled by them.
As Rickard falls to the Nazis more and more, Niki feels she must break from him, and leaves with their daughter. However, there are benefits to being in league with the Nazis and they help him find them. Rickard doesn’t want to lose another child, but Niki will not come back to him.
To read my full review, please go to: https://thoughtsfromthemountaintop.co...
August 30, 2023
Imagine being an author who has to remain anonymous because if the powers in charge knew who you were you could end up imprisoned or worse. That’s what Niki faced with her first novel. It was her true picture of the modern German young woman and it didn’t fit the model that the Hitler’s Brownshirts had of their women, married, children and home, not independent and working nor very sexually aware.
This was a compelling story of a time period that begins before Hitler is elected Chancellor and while people were still allowed their own opinions in private, because already you had to be careful what you said in public since you never knew who might be listening or the political leanings of the person to whom you were speaking.
This story fascinated me because, although it is fiction, it is based on the actual life of an author, Irmgard Keun. She used a pseudonym to write books that were banned by the rising powers and she had to eventually escape to Amsterdam, as did Niki in the book, but she was a lady of even greater mystery since she chose to continue her disappearing act for years afterward only reappearing toward the end of her life.
This was a really interesting book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
I received this book from Kensington Publishing Corp. Thank you to Kensington and to the author, V.S. Alexander.
This was a compelling story of a time period that begins before Hitler is elected Chancellor and while people were still allowed their own opinions in private, because already you had to be careful what you said in public since you never knew who might be listening or the political leanings of the person to whom you were speaking.
This story fascinated me because, although it is fiction, it is based on the actual life of an author, Irmgard Keun. She used a pseudonym to write books that were banned by the rising powers and she had to eventually escape to Amsterdam, as did Niki in the book, but she was a lady of even greater mystery since she chose to continue her disappearing act for years afterward only reappearing toward the end of her life.
This was a really interesting book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
I received this book from Kensington Publishing Corp. Thank you to Kensington and to the author, V.S. Alexander.
October 16, 2023
Rating: 5 Stars!!
Review:
Thank you to Kensington Books for picking me to win this FREE COPY in a giveaway in their Email Newsletter a few months ago.
This was my first time reading a Book by VS Alexander so i wasnt sure what to expect even tho this book left me intrigued since its based off of The Mysterious True Story of Irmgard Keun and surprisingly i loved every minute of this book.
The Characters were fun and interesting to read about. I felt like Young Niki was a little too gullible to buy into Rickard Langer's story and as she grew older i felt bad for her finally seeing who he really is even tho it seemed to come too late in life.
The Setting was beautifully described which made me feel like i was actually in 1920s Germany while reading, especially when the scenery was described since My Grandpa (My Dad's Dad) served during the later years of that war when he was a late teen to Early 20s.
Overall a Phenomenal Historical Fiction Set in 1920 Germany during The Great War in Berlin. Can't wait to read more by VS Alexander in the very near future!!
Review:
Thank you to Kensington Books for picking me to win this FREE COPY in a giveaway in their Email Newsletter a few months ago.
This was my first time reading a Book by VS Alexander so i wasnt sure what to expect even tho this book left me intrigued since its based off of The Mysterious True Story of Irmgard Keun and surprisingly i loved every minute of this book.
The Characters were fun and interesting to read about. I felt like Young Niki was a little too gullible to buy into Rickard Langer's story and as she grew older i felt bad for her finally seeing who he really is even tho it seemed to come too late in life.
The Setting was beautifully described which made me feel like i was actually in 1920s Germany while reading, especially when the scenery was described since My Grandpa (My Dad's Dad) served during the later years of that war when he was a late teen to Early 20s.
Overall a Phenomenal Historical Fiction Set in 1920 Germany during The Great War in Berlin. Can't wait to read more by VS Alexander in the very near future!!
October 1, 2024
*4 Stars
The Novelist from Berlin is a novel set in Berlin before, during and after the 2nd World War. It follows the story of a lady who is an aspiring writer, who ends up being a published author and faces the wrath of the then government in Germany. It is a story of hope, truth, survival and sheer grit from the lady and the people that are in her life.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen with the characters at every twist and turn. Further, it made me view things from a different point of view. I have always read of the 2nd World War from different perspectives but never from the common folk who lived in or around Germany and were not pro-Hitler. This perspective showed me that there really is more than meets the eye and has prompted me to read more diversely into such topics, triggering and they may be.
That this book was inspired by a true story makes it the more enjoyable and I would definitely recommend it with a warning to tread carefully as it depicts war and loss.
The Novelist from Berlin is a novel set in Berlin before, during and after the 2nd World War. It follows the story of a lady who is an aspiring writer, who ends up being a published author and faces the wrath of the then government in Germany. It is a story of hope, truth, survival and sheer grit from the lady and the people that are in her life.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen with the characters at every twist and turn. Further, it made me view things from a different point of view. I have always read of the 2nd World War from different perspectives but never from the common folk who lived in or around Germany and were not pro-Hitler. This perspective showed me that there really is more than meets the eye and has prompted me to read more diversely into such topics, triggering and they may be.
That this book was inspired by a true story makes it the more enjoyable and I would definitely recommend it with a warning to tread carefully as it depicts war and loss.
November 11, 2023
Thank you, Kensington Publish Corp, for the free copy through Good Reads. Where do I start...I have read books by this author before and was very excited to read this. What is not to like? Beautiful cover, historical fiction (one of my favs), and a story about a novelist. If it had not been the fact I felt obligated to finish because it was a free copy, I might not have finished. For me, I either have to like a character or love to hate a character, but I struggle when I just don't like them. About 40 pages in, and I knew I didn't like her. I pushed on and and I am happy I made it through the 388 pages. It was well written and interesting. I like the author's writing and will continue to read more from V.S. Alexander.
September 28, 2023
Thank you to Kensington Publishing and The Next Chapter Book Club for this book!
The year is 1929 and Niki is writing a book about the young women of Berlin and the struggles they go through during the time of Hitler. The book infuriates the Nazis. Certain books become band. Niki and Rickard are married, and have a daughter, Laura. Niki considers leaving Rickard due to his relationship with the Nazis. Things only get worse.
This novel takes the reader through decades of east and west Germany, including the Berlin Wall. I learned so many things I did not know about that time. I really enjoyed reading this.
The year is 1929 and Niki is writing a book about the young women of Berlin and the struggles they go through during the time of Hitler. The book infuriates the Nazis. Certain books become band. Niki and Rickard are married, and have a daughter, Laura. Niki considers leaving Rickard due to his relationship with the Nazis. Things only get worse.
This novel takes the reader through decades of east and west Germany, including the Berlin Wall. I learned so many things I did not know about that time. I really enjoyed reading this.
August 31, 2023
It spans from the 1920s to the 1960s and follows Marie through pre-war, Germany WWII, and post-war Berlin. It is loosely based on a true story. It is not what I expected but definitely kept my interest. Really liked the post-war section.
April 8, 2023
An interesting historical novel set in the Great War era. It is full of warmth, emotion and suspense. The storyline was well written and the characters were interesting.
Thank you to V.S. Alexander, NetGalley and Kensington Books for the arc of this book
Thank you to V.S. Alexander, NetGalley and Kensington Books for the arc of this book
October 7, 2023
Long, but it covered so much information! It was very interesting to learn more about the WWII era and aftermath from a perspective more from inside Germany.
January 18, 2024
This book to me was a very hard, dark and tough read. Many times I put it down and honestly didn't know if I would pick it back up again.
I was gifted a copy from Goodreads and this is my honest opinion.
While I'm not necessarily a fan of historical novels I do appreciate a good one now and then. This one however was very scattered and at times hard to follow. Hence why it took me forever to finish it.
I feel like right now there are a lot of books out about this time period however this one is loosely based on Irmgard Keun who was exiled for her work.
V.S. Alexander can seriously write a good book and has done his research. That is very evident in this book. I don't think I could have lived through such a horrific time. So much tragedy, my heart goes out to every Jewish person in this world and to the people who had to work for the Nazi's who had no say in it. No one ever needed to go through that or be a part of it.
Thank you Goodreads for allowing me to read such a tragic but good book. This one will stay with me for a long time.
I was gifted a copy from Goodreads and this is my honest opinion.
While I'm not necessarily a fan of historical novels I do appreciate a good one now and then. This one however was very scattered and at times hard to follow. Hence why it took me forever to finish it.
I feel like right now there are a lot of books out about this time period however this one is loosely based on Irmgard Keun who was exiled for her work.
V.S. Alexander can seriously write a good book and has done his research. That is very evident in this book. I don't think I could have lived through such a horrific time. So much tragedy, my heart goes out to every Jewish person in this world and to the people who had to work for the Nazi's who had no say in it. No one ever needed to go through that or be a part of it.
Thank you Goodreads for allowing me to read such a tragic but good book. This one will stay with me for a long time.
November 22, 2023
Thank you to Kensington Books for the copy of the book that I received through a Goodreads Giveaway. My genre of choice is historical fiction, primarily those set in WWI and WWII. I appreciated that the protagonist, Marie "Niki" Rittenhaus was loosely based on the life of Irmgard Keun. However, the first third of the book, set in pre-WWII Germany during the rise of the Nazi's power needed to be edited. I almost stopped reading. Niki was a novelist writing about the "New Berlin Woman" but the details of her novels were extraneous and added nothing to the story. Once Niki fled from her husband who was aligning himself with the Nazis, the flow of the book improved a little as she moved to the Netherlands and back to Berlin. The last part of the book took place in post WWII East Berlin and felt rushed. Overall, the novel was full of interesting historical facts and had an interesting plot, but had flaws along the way. Give it 3.5 stars. #TheNovelistFromBerlin
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