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Berliners
A riveting story about the rivalry between two brothers living on opposite sides of the Berlin wall during its construction in the 1960s, and how their complicated legacy and dreams of greatness will determine their ultimate fate.
A city divided. A family fractured. Two brothers caught between past and present.
Berlin, 1961. Rudi Möser-Fleischmann is an aspiring photographer with dreams of greatness, but he can't hold a candle to his talented, charismatic twin brother Peter, an ambitious actor. With the sudden divorce of their parents, the brothers find themselves living in different sectors of a divided Berlin; the postwar partition strangely mirroring their broken family. But one night, as the city sleeps, the Berlin Wall is hurriedly built, dividing society further, and Rudi and Peter are forced to choose between playing by the rules and taking their dreams underground. That is, until the truth about their family history and the growing cracks in their relationship threaten to split them apart for good.
From National Book Award-nominated, critically acclaimed author-illustrator Vesper Stamper comes a stark look at how resentment and denial can strain the bonds of brotherhood to the breaking point.
*Includes a downloadable PDF of a Glossary and Resources from the book
A city divided. A family fractured. Two brothers caught between past and present.
Berlin, 1961. Rudi Möser-Fleischmann is an aspiring photographer with dreams of greatness, but he can't hold a candle to his talented, charismatic twin brother Peter, an ambitious actor. With the sudden divorce of their parents, the brothers find themselves living in different sectors of a divided Berlin; the postwar partition strangely mirroring their broken family. But one night, as the city sleeps, the Berlin Wall is hurriedly built, dividing society further, and Rudi and Peter are forced to choose between playing by the rules and taking their dreams underground. That is, until the truth about their family history and the growing cracks in their relationship threaten to split them apart for good.
From National Book Award-nominated, critically acclaimed author-illustrator Vesper Stamper comes a stark look at how resentment and denial can strain the bonds of brotherhood to the breaking point.
*Includes a downloadable PDF of a Glossary and Resources from the book
Audible Audio
First published October 25, 2022
31 people are currently reading
1044 people want to read
About the author
Vesper Stamper
18 books188 followersBorn in Germany and raised in New York City, Vesper Stamper writes and illustrates novels which tell, through both words and pictures, stories of history’s rhymes. Her debut illustrated YA novel, What the Night Sings, about the aftermath of the Holocaust through the eyes of a young musician, was a National Book Award Nominee, a National Jewish Book Award Finalist, a Morris Award Finalist, Golden Kite Honor Book and Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner, and was named one of the Best YA Books of 2018/9 by YALSA, the Wall Street Journal and Kirkus. Vesper has a BFA in Illustration from Parsons and an MFA in Illustration as Visual Essay from School of Visual Arts and is the host of the podcast Vesperisms: The Art of Thinking for Yourself, which aims to cultivate a rehumanized worldview through artistic thinking. She lives with her husband, filmmaker Ben Stamper, and her two teenagers, in the Northeast, and teaches illustration at School of Visual Arts.
Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner
Morris Award Finalist
National Book Award Nominee
National Jewish Book Award Finalist
Golden Kite Honor Book
White Raven (International Youth Library)
Best Books of 2018 by Kirkus, YALSA & WSJ
Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner
Morris Award Finalist
National Book Award Nominee
National Jewish Book Award Finalist
Golden Kite Honor Book
White Raven (International Youth Library)
Best Books of 2018 by Kirkus, YALSA & WSJ
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
November 30, 2022
review- https://booksteacupreviews.com/2022/1...
Berliners is thought-provoking historical fiction of a complex journey of fraternal twins and their family fractured by politics and separated by the #Berlinwall. The story is about the aftermath of #WWII, Berlin society with two different ideologies, East and West Berlin culture, totalitarian and controlling USSR leadership in East Berlin, moral and ethical dilemmas, family drama, jealousy, betrayal, and young love.
Writing is poetic and beautiful told from twin brothers, Rudi and Peter’s perspectives that shows how different they are and so their beliefs and ideologies. The pace is too slow but plot is interesting written past and present of the twins with no distinct separation.
The family story, relationships, and two different ideologies is at the center of the story. I loved the secondary characters and their family’s stories. It gave layer to the story and also showed the ugly side of the party.
I absolutely loved the way city was described and the historical aspect was best part of the book. It was super interesting and thought-provoking to see the city and people’s lives change with soon to be formed Berlin Wall.
Why 3 stars- There is lots of build up here. Pace is very terribly slow. I find the main point and interest came very late in the story. I hated Rudi and there is almost no development in his character. I could see his guilt at the end but I don’t feel it was to the point of satisfaction. I would have liked to have few more pages focusing on that or an epilogue.
Overall, Berliners is thought-provoking and touching historical fiction about Berlin Wall, family and moral and ethical dilemmas but I didn’t enjoy this as much as I would have liked.
Berliners is thought-provoking historical fiction of a complex journey of fraternal twins and their family fractured by politics and separated by the #Berlinwall. The story is about the aftermath of #WWII, Berlin society with two different ideologies, East and West Berlin culture, totalitarian and controlling USSR leadership in East Berlin, moral and ethical dilemmas, family drama, jealousy, betrayal, and young love.
Writing is poetic and beautiful told from twin brothers, Rudi and Peter’s perspectives that shows how different they are and so their beliefs and ideologies. The pace is too slow but plot is interesting written past and present of the twins with no distinct separation.
The family story, relationships, and two different ideologies is at the center of the story. I loved the secondary characters and their family’s stories. It gave layer to the story and also showed the ugly side of the party.
I absolutely loved the way city was described and the historical aspect was best part of the book. It was super interesting and thought-provoking to see the city and people’s lives change with soon to be formed Berlin Wall.
Why 3 stars- There is lots of build up here. Pace is very terribly slow. I find the main point and interest came very late in the story. I hated Rudi and there is almost no development in his character. I could see his guilt at the end but I don’t feel it was to the point of satisfaction. I would have liked to have few more pages focusing on that or an epilogue.
Overall, Berliners is thought-provoking and touching historical fiction about Berlin Wall, family and moral and ethical dilemmas but I didn’t enjoy this as much as I would have liked.
December 29, 2022
I wanted to love this--it was a book that as soon as I heard about it, I put it on hold at the library, convinced it would be exactly what I love to read. I find stories of the Soviet Union fascinating, but didn't know much about the GDR and how communism functioned in Germany. The story of the Berlin Wall, built literally in the middle of the night, was one I wanted to know more about.
And the ideas around that in here were fascinating: the way East Germany vs. West Germany thought about and dealt with Nazism, the impact and change to Berlin before and after the wall, the division in families, etc. All really interesting.
But I felt the pacing was off. A lot of what this book purports to be about is dealt with in the last 1/4 of the book, and the first 3/4 (of a 400 page book) were more about building up to it. While I found that character development interesting, I think it dragged on too long. We didn't get much of a chance to reckon with the choices of the characters. The writing also just felt a bit clunky to me, but I see based on other reviews I'm very much in the minority on that opinion, so take it with a grain of salt!
I didn't dislike this book--I liked it. I just think the pacing could have been tightened and I would have LOVED it. I did, however, love the author's note: powerful and fascinating.
And the ideas around that in here were fascinating: the way East Germany vs. West Germany thought about and dealt with Nazism, the impact and change to Berlin before and after the wall, the division in families, etc. All really interesting.
But I felt the pacing was off. A lot of what this book purports to be about is dealt with in the last 1/4 of the book, and the first 3/4 (of a 400 page book) were more about building up to it. While I found that character development interesting, I think it dragged on too long. We didn't get much of a chance to reckon with the choices of the characters. The writing also just felt a bit clunky to me, but I see based on other reviews I'm very much in the minority on that opinion, so take it with a grain of salt!
I didn't dislike this book--I liked it. I just think the pacing could have been tightened and I would have LOVED it. I did, however, love the author's note: powerful and fascinating.
September 23, 2022
“Berliners” is about fraternal twins who are part of a fractured family during the time when Germany was divided in 2 due to the construction of the Berlin Wall. Both brothers will soon discover something about their family that might separate them for good.
I’m interested in everything related to WWII and the Berlin Wall, and I always think that you can never learn enough about these topics. Which is why I was so excited when I got a spot on this tour. The book also did not disappoint and met most of my expectations. I found some parts to be a bit slow, especially as we expect both brothers to live on opposite sides of the Wall, hence this only happens somewhere in the middle.
Other than that, I absolutely enjoyed my time reading “Berliners” and found it interesting to read the story in the P.o.v.s of Rudi and Peter. I found this book to be thought-provoking, which is all you need in historical fiction. Therefore, I can only recommend this novel to all post-WWII historical fictions fans out here. This one should definitely find a place on your TBR.
The writing style was also very fluent and quick to read.
I’m interested in everything related to WWII and the Berlin Wall, and I always think that you can never learn enough about these topics. Which is why I was so excited when I got a spot on this tour. The book also did not disappoint and met most of my expectations. I found some parts to be a bit slow, especially as we expect both brothers to live on opposite sides of the Wall, hence this only happens somewhere in the middle.
Other than that, I absolutely enjoyed my time reading “Berliners” and found it interesting to read the story in the P.o.v.s of Rudi and Peter. I found this book to be thought-provoking, which is all you need in historical fiction. Therefore, I can only recommend this novel to all post-WWII historical fictions fans out here. This one should definitely find a place on your TBR.
The writing style was also very fluent and quick to read.
March 20, 2023
rudi was literally so annoying ☺️ but overall cute
February 25, 2024
I was really excited to read this book when I first picked it up, and then I read some reviews on here and I got a little nervous. This is a hefty book for me (a little over 400 pages) and I saw a lot of reviews saying the book was slow paced. I disagree. This book had me in tears and full of rage screaming at characters on paper. I learned a lot about myself and the people around me reading this book. I know it’s extreme to compare the US to post WW2 germany but walls are still rather topical today… It made me think a lot about complacency and how you can truly be indoctrinated from birth into something. I hate to admit it but it made me understand that some people truly can’t see what’s right in front of them. The truth can be explained to you a million times but sometimes that’s not enough. I would highly recommend this to any of my fellow historical fiction friends.
February 26, 2023
Almost everyone in my book club loved this one, but I was honestly so bored from beginning to end, and only forced myself to finish it because I wanted to learn something about the Berlin Wall. I didn’t really learn anything, except that it was surprisingly easy for one of the characters to cross back and forth with a fake visa (not sure if that’s historically accurate).
The author’s note at the end was fantastic—a well-written, incredibly important message about the way that we fail to learn from history’s tragedies, about the ease with which we go about our daily lives ignoring the horrors that are happening to other people in other places. The need to see perpetrators of atrocities as not so different from ourselves, sadly. The actual story, on the other hand, fell far short of delivering that message.
I could relate to Rudy’s self-loathing in comparison to his golden child twin brother Peter, but I found it difficult to relate to either twin beyond that. There was very little character or plot development, time was wasted on unnecessarily cringey and superficial romantic relationships for both brothers, and an annoyingly abrupt ending cut the story short just as it was finally developing potential (though I was relieved that the book was over). It took way too long to get to the moment when the Berlin Wall was actually set up, and even after that, the fake visa situation made the barrier seem a lot less meaningful.
On the positive side, I enjoyed the heroic and winsome characterization of the African-American WWII veteran Charles, and the fact that Rudy and Charles both were good at baking. There was one poignant (and apparently true) story about people throwing a baby from a balcony onto a bedsheet in order to help the family cross the wall (this reminded me of COVID quarantine/lock down stories coming out of China last year)—I wish there had been more of this journalistic approach and less of the brothers’ angsty teenage issues/thoughts.
The author’s note at the end was fantastic—a well-written, incredibly important message about the way that we fail to learn from history’s tragedies, about the ease with which we go about our daily lives ignoring the horrors that are happening to other people in other places. The need to see perpetrators of atrocities as not so different from ourselves, sadly. The actual story, on the other hand, fell far short of delivering that message.
I could relate to Rudy’s self-loathing in comparison to his golden child twin brother Peter, but I found it difficult to relate to either twin beyond that. There was very little character or plot development, time was wasted on unnecessarily cringey and superficial romantic relationships for both brothers, and an annoyingly abrupt ending cut the story short just as it was finally developing potential (though I was relieved that the book was over). It took way too long to get to the moment when the Berlin Wall was actually set up, and even after that, the fake visa situation made the barrier seem a lot less meaningful.
On the positive side, I enjoyed the heroic and winsome characterization of the African-American WWII veteran Charles, and the fact that Rudy and Charles both were good at baking. There was one poignant (and apparently true) story about people throwing a baby from a balcony onto a bedsheet in order to help the family cross the wall (this reminded me of COVID quarantine/lock down stories coming out of China last year)—I wish there had been more of this journalistic approach and less of the brothers’ angsty teenage issues/thoughts.
January 1, 2023
Good book. One star off for how obnoxiously annoying Rudi was. I’m sure that was the point but holy crap I wish I could beat him up
September 19, 2022
This book was wonderfully written and dealt with some very tricky and interesting part of history through the eyes of the main characters, Rudi and Peter as well as looking back to what came before through the character of Rudolf and Ilse. The characters were complex and the journeys they went on equally so, showing the different sides to what was happening to Germany after the war and under the USSR leadership in the East and then the other countries in the West. Rudi and Peter, the two twin boys were so different from each other and I think that it was their final moments in the book that really cemented this for the reader. They also had two distinctive voices from which the story was told and I think that this was something that really added to the story. In addition to this, we had the adult character who represented the difficult past of Germany in WWII and I also think that, Rudolf and Ilse in particular, were very well written.
The story itself follows the course of history from the very end of WWII to the building of the Berlin Wall and then the shutting of the borders. All focusing on one family and their relationship with the city and the ideologies that resided within it. This book is a story of one family and one city and all the complexities that come when the past and the present, and even the future are called into question. This is something that makes this book so brilliant is that wrapped up in the story about the city that is divided we see a family divided and have to try and reconcile that among themselves. And the ending was so heartbreaking yet beautiful all at the same time.
The writing, and the illustrations also, told this story wonderfully. I was taken in by the descriptions of the city and the family that we were following. I felt that the characters were all very distinctive and I really liked how the illustrations furthered the story by enabling me to imagine some of the settings more vividly.
The story itself follows the course of history from the very end of WWII to the building of the Berlin Wall and then the shutting of the borders. All focusing on one family and their relationship with the city and the ideologies that resided within it. This book is a story of one family and one city and all the complexities that come when the past and the present, and even the future are called into question. This is something that makes this book so brilliant is that wrapped up in the story about the city that is divided we see a family divided and have to try and reconcile that among themselves. And the ending was so heartbreaking yet beautiful all at the same time.
The writing, and the illustrations also, told this story wonderfully. I was taken in by the descriptions of the city and the family that we were following. I felt that the characters were all very distinctive and I really liked how the illustrations furthered the story by enabling me to imagine some of the settings more vividly.
November 6, 2022
I've enjoyed Vesper Stamper's other books a lot ("Where The Night Sings", "A Cloud of Outrageous Blue") so I was excited to see that she had written another book, "Berliners". I was not disappointed in any way by this courageously written novel. I have so many highlights, especially throughout Chapter 8, but the echo I kept hearing was 'live not by lies' (which is the title and subject of an excellent non-fiction book by Rod Dreher that I have queued up to revisit).
Vesper Stamper has an excellent author's note at the end that places this story more solidly in historical context and points out the echoes, or as she calls it: the rhymes, that we might be noticing in our own lives.
"If you live in truth, they cannot affect you with their lies."
Vesper Stamper has an excellent author's note at the end that places this story more solidly in historical context and points out the echoes, or as she calls it: the rhymes, that we might be noticing in our own lives.
"If you live in truth, they cannot affect you with their lies."
March 9, 2023
BERLINERS is about the construction of the Berlin Wall and how German families wrestled with their toxic Nazi pasts. We follow a pair of fraternal twins, Rudi and Peter, who have been kept innocent of their parents' pasts in the Nazi Youth. Those parents have very different reactions to the increasingly totalitarian Communism rule in East Berlin, as do the boys. Stamper creates memorable supporting characters, as well. Lovely prose (a couple of the lines were so yummy I had to read them aloud to other people), but the end didn't quite have the emotional bang I was looking for given the length of the book and depth of the previous characterization. I wanted to see change or insight or *something* in the mind of the main character. Nonetheless, I highly recommend BERLINERS for ages 15 and up.
November 21, 2022
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A story of two brothers, with two different perspectives of their world, living in East Germany in the days before the Berlin Wall was erected. Their family was founded during the turmoil of Berlin at the end of World War II with their parents finding each other in the chaos, violence and heartache. They may not be the best match for each other, but they still raise twin sons in East Berlin under the eye of the Communist Party. One of the boys, Rudi, thrives under the order and ideals of the Party, while Peter is less sure the ideals align with what he sees in Berlin. The summer before their last year of high school exposes them both to the complicated socio-political climate that has developed, furthering reinforcing their different beliefs. Suddenly their family is separated by the wall and despite their care for each other, they are not sure how to reconcile their differing views.
The twins were well-developed characters, with plenty of believable flaws. The author does a good job introducing the political climate and belief systems of East Berlin in ways that feel natural, but also expose unfamiliar readers to the topic. The ARC did not include a glossary or appendix translating the German used throughout. It was not impossible to understand the text without such a companion, but it would have helped clarify some of the Party's ideals. The additional family members were less developed and less compelling, but provided decent support and complications to the twins' understanding of the political climate. The history of the state is built into the narrative in believable and coherent ways that inform the readers without being didactic. It was an interesting story overall and I could see fans of historical fiction finding this underexplored time period interesting.
A story of two brothers, with two different perspectives of their world, living in East Germany in the days before the Berlin Wall was erected. Their family was founded during the turmoil of Berlin at the end of World War II with their parents finding each other in the chaos, violence and heartache. They may not be the best match for each other, but they still raise twin sons in East Berlin under the eye of the Communist Party. One of the boys, Rudi, thrives under the order and ideals of the Party, while Peter is less sure the ideals align with what he sees in Berlin. The summer before their last year of high school exposes them both to the complicated socio-political climate that has developed, furthering reinforcing their different beliefs. Suddenly their family is separated by the wall and despite their care for each other, they are not sure how to reconcile their differing views.
The twins were well-developed characters, with plenty of believable flaws. The author does a good job introducing the political climate and belief systems of East Berlin in ways that feel natural, but also expose unfamiliar readers to the topic. The ARC did not include a glossary or appendix translating the German used throughout. It was not impossible to understand the text without such a companion, but it would have helped clarify some of the Party's ideals. The additional family members were less developed and less compelling, but provided decent support and complications to the twins' understanding of the political climate. The history of the state is built into the narrative in believable and coherent ways that inform the readers without being didactic. It was an interesting story overall and I could see fans of historical fiction finding this underexplored time period interesting.
March 31, 2023
"We learn from history that we do not learn from history." - Georg Willhelm Friedrich Hegel
March 25, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this. I loved the character developments and twists along the way. Such an interesting time in history that we don’t often read about.
July 16, 2025
THIS WAS SO GOOD
April 21, 2023
If I could give partial stars, I would because I think this book is more like a 4,8. I really liked it, but it has a REALLY slow start, and ends abruptly, leaving the reader to question the fates of most of (all of?) the characters. A lot of twists and turns and a lot more than I think one would expect.
There are a lot of ways that Stemper ties in historically accurate occurrences, and there is a lot to get out of her retelling of the division of East and West Berlin.
There are a lot of ways that Stemper ties in historically accurate occurrences, and there is a lot to get out of her retelling of the division of East and West Berlin.
November 22, 2022
This story reached me on many levels. It touched me how the author could have the characters go back and forth through the "wall" having psyches transformed on the way. This story showed a vivid portrayal of the geographical features of East and West Berlin and the Berlin Wall. These descriptions showed the depth of long-term facets of research by Miss Stamper. The sense of humor was evidenced by the two dunderhead "stasi" who show up in the most unexpected places. There is a steady sense of suspense for those of us who like page-turners. This story appeals to those who like love stories, food, human struggle and survival tales, cross-cultural experience, and much more. To think that this neat book is available for the YA reader is priceless.
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August 2, 2022Reviewing for professional magazine- see review there.
August 18, 2022
In 2019, before the madness of the Covid-19 pandemic, I got the chance to visit Berlin for a conference. I wasn’t there for long, but it was magical. I got to walk the bridges, stand under the Brandenburg gate, see some castles, and eat currywurst (all kinds of wursts!)
So when I saw this novel, I was immediately intrigued. The contents did not disappoint. But, first, a caveat: This is a Young Adult novel. The primary characters around which the story revolves, the brothers, Rudi and Peter, are in their early-mid teens and the story does not progress far into their adulthood. The prose, language, structure and so on are clearly written for a YA reader, but the historical and emotional content is potent and will suit a more mature reader.
The story is told from the two brothers’ perspectives; it is the tale of their parents and their lives after WWII has ended and German society — Berlin society — has settled into a kind of uncomfortable holding pattern, caught between the two ideologies and cultures of the American West and the Russian-controlled East. Vesper focuses on the interior perplexity in the boys’ minds: in a period of their lives when they are already grappling with puberty and teenage crises of identity, they are forced to also wrangle with the localized manifestations of external pressures of international politics, Cold War propaganda, and collective post-WWII German angst. They struggle with what anti-semitism means in this age, what Nazism had been and is now (Vesper makes this point clear: the end of the Second World War was now the end of Nazism or the hate that that regime promulgated. It lives on and remains as insidious as was), what socialism is and truly is, what the Russian and American regimes represent.
One brother awakens to an understanding that the Russians are selling them a false promise. The other brother believes the Americans are doing the same. One brother seeks the freedom of the West, the other seeks the stability and order of the East.
In the mean time, they are struggling against one another as well; competing as siblings for the attentions of their parents, for a kind of childish glory, for a sense of belonging within their own world.
They wrangle with the more mundane things of teenage life as well: understanding love in all its conflicting forms. Their parents are products of the war as much as they are; their relationship is fraught with tension, not unlike the kind of tension between the East and West: irreconcilable, ideological, built on a history that was not of their own making and borne out of the War. The brothers are also young men, their minds and bodies are tangled in novel feelings of love and sexuality. They are on the edge of adulthood and are testing out how they might victorious in this new domain; they experience losses, betrayals, and grief as the story unfolds — and failure, that first, very painful sting of rejection that is inevitably accompanied by new experience.
The novel follows Rudi and Peter as they navigate their parents’ and the city’s divergence. They eventually find themselves on opposite sides of the Berlin Wall, erected one night in secret.
This is a powerful YA novel that is also fulfilling for an older, more experienced reader. The moral and ethical dilemmas embedded in the politics and social interactions in this novel are ones that might be introduced to us at the YW stage of life, but they remain tangled in later adulthood too, so much of the conflict will be recognizable and moving for a maturer reader.
So when I saw this novel, I was immediately intrigued. The contents did not disappoint. But, first, a caveat: This is a Young Adult novel. The primary characters around which the story revolves, the brothers, Rudi and Peter, are in their early-mid teens and the story does not progress far into their adulthood. The prose, language, structure and so on are clearly written for a YA reader, but the historical and emotional content is potent and will suit a more mature reader.
The story is told from the two brothers’ perspectives; it is the tale of their parents and their lives after WWII has ended and German society — Berlin society — has settled into a kind of uncomfortable holding pattern, caught between the two ideologies and cultures of the American West and the Russian-controlled East. Vesper focuses on the interior perplexity in the boys’ minds: in a period of their lives when they are already grappling with puberty and teenage crises of identity, they are forced to also wrangle with the localized manifestations of external pressures of international politics, Cold War propaganda, and collective post-WWII German angst. They struggle with what anti-semitism means in this age, what Nazism had been and is now (Vesper makes this point clear: the end of the Second World War was now the end of Nazism or the hate that that regime promulgated. It lives on and remains as insidious as was), what socialism is and truly is, what the Russian and American regimes represent.
One brother awakens to an understanding that the Russians are selling them a false promise. The other brother believes the Americans are doing the same. One brother seeks the freedom of the West, the other seeks the stability and order of the East.
In the mean time, they are struggling against one another as well; competing as siblings for the attentions of their parents, for a kind of childish glory, for a sense of belonging within their own world.
They wrangle with the more mundane things of teenage life as well: understanding love in all its conflicting forms. Their parents are products of the war as much as they are; their relationship is fraught with tension, not unlike the kind of tension between the East and West: irreconcilable, ideological, built on a history that was not of their own making and borne out of the War. The brothers are also young men, their minds and bodies are tangled in novel feelings of love and sexuality. They are on the edge of adulthood and are testing out how they might victorious in this new domain; they experience losses, betrayals, and grief as the story unfolds — and failure, that first, very painful sting of rejection that is inevitably accompanied by new experience.
The novel follows Rudi and Peter as they navigate their parents’ and the city’s divergence. They eventually find themselves on opposite sides of the Berlin Wall, erected one night in secret.
This is a powerful YA novel that is also fulfilling for an older, more experienced reader. The moral and ethical dilemmas embedded in the politics and social interactions in this novel are ones that might be introduced to us at the YW stage of life, but they remain tangled in later adulthood too, so much of the conflict will be recognizable and moving for a maturer reader.
August 18, 2022
In 2019, before the madness of the Covid-19 pandemic, I got the chance to visit Berlin for a conference. I wasn’t there for long, but it was magical. I got to walk the bridges, stand under the Brandenburg gate, see some castles, and eat currywurst (all kinds of wursts!)
So when I saw this novel, I was immediately intrigued. The contents did not disappoint. But, first, a caveat: This is a Young Adult novel. The primary characters around which the story revolves, the brothers, Rudi and Peter, are in their early-mid teens and the story does not progress far into their adulthood. The prose, language, structure and so on are clearly written for a YA reader, but the historical and emotional content is potent and will suit a more mature reader.
The story is told from the two brothers’ perspectives; it is the tale of their parents and their lives after WWII has ended and German society — Berlin society — has settled into a kind of uncomfortable holding pattern, caught between the two ideologies and cultures of the American West and the Russian-controlled East. Vesper focuses on the interior perplexity in the boys’ minds: in a period of their lives when they are already grappling with puberty and teenage crises of identity, they are forced to also wrangle with the localized manifestations of external pressures of international politics, Cold War propaganda, and collective post-WWII German angst. They struggle with what anti-semitism means in this age, what Nazism had been and is now (Vesper makes this point clear: the end of the Second World War was now the end of Nazism or the hate that that regime promulgated. It lives on and remains as insidious as was), what socialism is and truly is, what the Russian and American regimes represent.
One brother awakens to an understanding that the Russians are selling them a false promise. The other brother believes the Americans are doing the same. One brother seeks the freedom of the West, the other seeks the stability and order of the East.
In the mean time, they are struggling against one another as well; competing as siblings for the attentions of their parents, for a kind of childish glory, for a sense of belonging within their own world.
They wrangle with the more mundane things of teenage life as well: understanding love in all its conflicting forms. Their parents are products of the war as much as they are; their relationship is fraught with tension, not unlike the kind of tension between the East and West: irreconcilable, ideological, built on a history that was not of their own making and borne out of the War. The brothers are also young men, their minds and bodies are tangled in novel feelings of love and sexuality. They are on the edge of adulthood and are testing out how they might victorious in this new domain; they experience losses, betrayals, and grief as the story unfolds — and failure, that first, very painful sting of rejection that is inevitably accompanied by new experience.
The novel follows Rudi and Peter as they navigate their parents’ and the city’s divergence. They eventually find themselves on opposite sides of the Berlin Wall, erected one night in secret.
This is a powerful YA novel that is also fulfilling for an older, more experienced reader. The moral and ethical dilemmas embedded in the politics and social interactions in this novel are ones that might be introduced to us at the YW stage of life, but they remain tangled in later adulthood too, so much of the conflict will be recognizable and moving for a maturer reader.
So when I saw this novel, I was immediately intrigued. The contents did not disappoint. But, first, a caveat: This is a Young Adult novel. The primary characters around which the story revolves, the brothers, Rudi and Peter, are in their early-mid teens and the story does not progress far into their adulthood. The prose, language, structure and so on are clearly written for a YA reader, but the historical and emotional content is potent and will suit a more mature reader.
The story is told from the two brothers’ perspectives; it is the tale of their parents and their lives after WWII has ended and German society — Berlin society — has settled into a kind of uncomfortable holding pattern, caught between the two ideologies and cultures of the American West and the Russian-controlled East. Vesper focuses on the interior perplexity in the boys’ minds: in a period of their lives when they are already grappling with puberty and teenage crises of identity, they are forced to also wrangle with the localized manifestations of external pressures of international politics, Cold War propaganda, and collective post-WWII German angst. They struggle with what anti-semitism means in this age, what Nazism had been and is now (Vesper makes this point clear: the end of the Second World War was now the end of Nazism or the hate that that regime promulgated. It lives on and remains as insidious as was), what socialism is and truly is, what the Russian and American regimes represent.
One brother awakens to an understanding that the Russians are selling them a false promise. The other brother believes the Americans are doing the same. One brother seeks the freedom of the West, the other seeks the stability and order of the East.
In the mean time, they are struggling against one another as well; competing as siblings for the attentions of their parents, for a kind of childish glory, for a sense of belonging within their own world.
They wrangle with the more mundane things of teenage life as well: understanding love in all its conflicting forms. Their parents are products of the war as much as they are; their relationship is fraught with tension, not unlike the kind of tension between the East and West: irreconcilable, ideological, built on a history that was not of their own making and borne out of the War. The brothers are also young men, their minds and bodies are tangled in novel feelings of love and sexuality. They are on the edge of adulthood and are testing out how they might victorious in this new domain; they experience losses, betrayals, and grief as the story unfolds — and failure, that first, very painful sting of rejection that is inevitably accompanied by new experience.
The novel follows Rudi and Peter as they navigate their parents’ and the city’s divergence. They eventually find themselves on opposite sides of the Berlin Wall, erected one night in secret.
This is a powerful YA novel that is also fulfilling for an older, more experienced reader. The moral and ethical dilemmas embedded in the politics and social interactions in this novel are ones that might be introduced to us at the YW stage of life, but they remain tangled in later adulthood too, so much of the conflict will be recognizable and moving for a maturer reader.
August 16, 2022
A photographer and an actor. Two brothers, one dedicated to the party and one not. Berlin, 1961, the Berlin Wall goes up. What happens when the brothers get separated on opposite sides of the wall?
This is such a different take on WWII historical fiction than the many I have read before. It focuses on a different decade, a different aspect of the war. It gives a lot of insight into those topics I've only learned briefly about in my German classes and not read about in books - the Hitler Youth, the resistance, the secret cabarets. And I learned a lot from reading this book too.
I really enjoyed how this is written in dual POV from each of the brothers' POVs. It really captures the stark differences in opinion regarding the war, the party, & the war. It was very captivating writing and hard to put down. Both brothers were created in such ways that make you feel for them - whether that's because they're doing good resistance work and you want them to succeed, or because they're so strongly loyal to the party that you want to will them away from it, regardless, you'll feel for them.
It was also very surreal, having been to Berlin, to read about these places in history where I have been before. It was just as surreal, if not more, to actually be there, standing there, knowing the history of the places, but to read it and say "wow, I've been there, I've seen it" brought an additional element to the reading experience.
The biggest thing I disliked though, was the mental illness plotline. Mental illness was used in a way that it aided one of the plotlines and make the plot easier. I do feel as if something else could have been the explanation into why the plot was able to happen as it did. For spoiler purposes, I won't give more details than this. And I cannot speak to the historical accuracy, if this would have been a very real thing to occur. But what I can say is it disrupted my reading experience and I personally would prefer to go without the mental illness plot whether it be historically accurate or not.
rep: MC with migraines, Black SC
CW: war, guns, WWII, intoxication, physical abuse, self harm, suicide attempt, blood, racism, food, depression
Rating system:
5 - absolutely love, little-to-no dislikes that did not impact my reading experience
4 - great book, minor dislikes that did have an impact on my reading experience
3 - good/decent book but for some reason did not hook me or there were some problematic things that just were not addressed or greatly impacted my reading experience
2 - is either a book I did not click with and did not enjoy, problematic aspects are not addressed and severely impacted my reading experience, or I DNF'd but think it has potential for others
1 - is very problematic, I would not recommend the book to anyone
Thank you to Netgalley & Random House Children's Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected pub date: October 25, 2022.
This is such a different take on WWII historical fiction than the many I have read before. It focuses on a different decade, a different aspect of the war. It gives a lot of insight into those topics I've only learned briefly about in my German classes and not read about in books - the Hitler Youth, the resistance, the secret cabarets. And I learned a lot from reading this book too.
I really enjoyed how this is written in dual POV from each of the brothers' POVs. It really captures the stark differences in opinion regarding the war, the party, & the war. It was very captivating writing and hard to put down. Both brothers were created in such ways that make you feel for them - whether that's because they're doing good resistance work and you want them to succeed, or because they're so strongly loyal to the party that you want to will them away from it, regardless, you'll feel for them.
It was also very surreal, having been to Berlin, to read about these places in history where I have been before. It was just as surreal, if not more, to actually be there, standing there, knowing the history of the places, but to read it and say "wow, I've been there, I've seen it" brought an additional element to the reading experience.
The biggest thing I disliked though, was the mental illness plotline. Mental illness was used in a way that it aided one of the plotlines and make the plot easier. I do feel as if something else could have been the explanation into why the plot was able to happen as it did. For spoiler purposes, I won't give more details than this. And I cannot speak to the historical accuracy, if this would have been a very real thing to occur. But what I can say is it disrupted my reading experience and I personally would prefer to go without the mental illness plot whether it be historically accurate or not.
rep: MC with migraines, Black SC
CW: war, guns, WWII, intoxication, physical abuse, self harm, suicide attempt, blood, racism, food, depression
Rating system:
5 - absolutely love, little-to-no dislikes that did not impact my reading experience
4 - great book, minor dislikes that did have an impact on my reading experience
3 - good/decent book but for some reason did not hook me or there were some problematic things that just were not addressed or greatly impacted my reading experience
2 - is either a book I did not click with and did not enjoy, problematic aspects are not addressed and severely impacted my reading experience, or I DNF'd but think it has potential for others
1 - is very problematic, I would not recommend the book to anyone
Thank you to Netgalley & Random House Children's Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected pub date: October 25, 2022.
September 25, 2022
Things are heating up in Berlin. Fraternal twins Rudi and Peter are complete opposites. Rudi is all about toeing the line, doing what’s best for the party. But he’s sick of living in his brother’s shadow. Peter is the golden child, and great things land in his lap. An aspiring actor, Peter has big dreams. But when he joins an underground cabaret and starts to understand what is really going on in Berlin, he sees their world in a new light.
Meanwhile, Rudi turns introspective. His feelings towards his family start to turn sour. He doesn’t understand what’s going on with his brother. And then, his parents decide to separate, and Rudi’s life takes a dramatic turn with drastic consequences.
While reading, I definitely related more to Peter. He was nothing like what I first assumed. Peter and Rudi’s story of their family wasn’t uncommon. Some people knew what was really going on, and others bought everything they were told. Even when faced with evidence, they refused to see what was right in front of them. Rudi is such a person, and that’s why I didn’t much care for him. But his character is representative of so many people of the time.
I think what happened in Berlin was such a shocking time in the world’s history. Germany was just coming out of a war, and they went from one horrible situation to another. People were tired, and fighting an enemy that followed your every move was hard. This novel only touches the surface of what was going on. How terrible the Stasi was, the poverty in the East, and the lengths people went to, to get to the West aren’t really covered. I think that works here because this is a YA book. I appreciate that Stamper included mental health issues in the book, though it isn’t deeply explored, and again, I feel that it was a choice to keep the material engaging enough for its target audience.
I am a bit disappointed by the ending. Honestly, I was reading in the Netgalley app, and the book didn’t have a page-turning option, so it was an endless scroll. You had to click around to find where you were in the book. So imagine my surprise when I reached the end of the book. I feel like this novel could be the start of a series. There is more story and depth to the situation that can be explored because the reader is left in limbo.
But otherwise, this is an engaging read. Once the story found its groove, I didn’t want to put it down. I think all readers will find enjoyment in Berliners. Thank you, Random House Children’s/Knopf, for sending this along.
Meanwhile, Rudi turns introspective. His feelings towards his family start to turn sour. He doesn’t understand what’s going on with his brother. And then, his parents decide to separate, and Rudi’s life takes a dramatic turn with drastic consequences.
While reading, I definitely related more to Peter. He was nothing like what I first assumed. Peter and Rudi’s story of their family wasn’t uncommon. Some people knew what was really going on, and others bought everything they were told. Even when faced with evidence, they refused to see what was right in front of them. Rudi is such a person, and that’s why I didn’t much care for him. But his character is representative of so many people of the time.
I think what happened in Berlin was such a shocking time in the world’s history. Germany was just coming out of a war, and they went from one horrible situation to another. People were tired, and fighting an enemy that followed your every move was hard. This novel only touches the surface of what was going on. How terrible the Stasi was, the poverty in the East, and the lengths people went to, to get to the West aren’t really covered. I think that works here because this is a YA book. I appreciate that Stamper included mental health issues in the book, though it isn’t deeply explored, and again, I feel that it was a choice to keep the material engaging enough for its target audience.
I am a bit disappointed by the ending. Honestly, I was reading in the Netgalley app, and the book didn’t have a page-turning option, so it was an endless scroll. You had to click around to find where you were in the book. So imagine my surprise when I reached the end of the book. I feel like this novel could be the start of a series. There is more story and depth to the situation that can be explored because the reader is left in limbo.
But otherwise, this is an engaging read. Once the story found its groove, I didn’t want to put it down. I think all readers will find enjoyment in Berliners. Thank you, Random House Children’s/Knopf, for sending this along.
November 15, 2022
Review from my daughter Paige (12yo).
A captivating historical fiction about two young adult brothers separated in their political views.
"Twins against the world." That was always the twin brothers Rudi and Peter's motto. Peter is the family's golden child, while Rudi is stuck in his shadow. Things in Eastern Germany had been hard for the twins' family. The Soviets are beginning to push their propaganda even more, and tension starts to rise in their family. In the middle of it all, will Peter and Rudi set aside their differences to help survive all of this uncertainty?
This book was right up my alley, as I love historical fiction. 1961 Germany was new to me. I never knew much about what was really going on in Berlin, only from the American's view. As soon as you start reading the story, the author puts you in Berlin's atmosphere after WWII.
Instantly, I put down this book; I was eager to learn more about the Berlin Wall and the Cold War.
Each chapter switches between the twins, Rudi and Peter, who are complicated young people. As I mentioned, Peter is the golden child, but he longs to be himself. I rooted for him the whole story because he is my favorite character. Rudi, on the other hand, I disliked him. He sounded so whiney, always complaining, and never happy for his brother.
I enjoyed the grandma, Oma, and she cracked me up in some parts.
This book talked a lot about the desserts; the Berlin donuts (Berliners) sounded delicious. I would love to try those one day.
This well-written book keeps you on your toes and is unputdownable. The author, Vesper Stamper, created a well-thought-out mood throughout the story, which acted as a hook that drew me into the novel. You will remember this story long after you finish it.
You can find talented illustrations throughout the book that support the story beautifully.
The strong message of this book is to always stay true to yourself and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I recommend this book to anyone interested in that part of history (Cold War) and hoping to find a melodramatic fraternal story.
I received this book through Purple Shelf Media's influencer program in exchange for an honest review.
Now I want to read all of Ms. Stamper's books!
Happy Reading, Paige ❤️
A captivating historical fiction about two young adult brothers separated in their political views.
"Twins against the world." That was always the twin brothers Rudi and Peter's motto. Peter is the family's golden child, while Rudi is stuck in his shadow. Things in Eastern Germany had been hard for the twins' family. The Soviets are beginning to push their propaganda even more, and tension starts to rise in their family. In the middle of it all, will Peter and Rudi set aside their differences to help survive all of this uncertainty?
This book was right up my alley, as I love historical fiction. 1961 Germany was new to me. I never knew much about what was really going on in Berlin, only from the American's view. As soon as you start reading the story, the author puts you in Berlin's atmosphere after WWII.
Instantly, I put down this book; I was eager to learn more about the Berlin Wall and the Cold War.
Each chapter switches between the twins, Rudi and Peter, who are complicated young people. As I mentioned, Peter is the golden child, but he longs to be himself. I rooted for him the whole story because he is my favorite character. Rudi, on the other hand, I disliked him. He sounded so whiney, always complaining, and never happy for his brother.
I enjoyed the grandma, Oma, and she cracked me up in some parts.
This book talked a lot about the desserts; the Berlin donuts (Berliners) sounded delicious. I would love to try those one day.
This well-written book keeps you on your toes and is unputdownable. The author, Vesper Stamper, created a well-thought-out mood throughout the story, which acted as a hook that drew me into the novel. You will remember this story long after you finish it.
You can find talented illustrations throughout the book that support the story beautifully.
The strong message of this book is to always stay true to yourself and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I recommend this book to anyone interested in that part of history (Cold War) and hoping to find a melodramatic fraternal story.
I received this book through Purple Shelf Media's influencer program in exchange for an honest review.
Now I want to read all of Ms. Stamper's books!
Happy Reading, Paige ❤️
November 30, 2022
JLG selection for November. This is the story of two brothers Peter and Rudi living in East Berlin during the lead up to the overnight construction of the Berlin wall. Rudi is a loyal supportive member of the socialist party, his brother Peter doesn't care about politics, he just wants to enjoy life and act. Both mother and father were Nazi's during the war, but very young - in fact the father informed on a young girl he liked in school because she was Jewish, something with which he struggles to reconcile throughout his life; neither son is aware of their parents involvement in the Nazi party until later in the story. This is a story of split things, not only a city, but ideologies, families, and minds. As Peter begins to awaken to the truth of the East German socialists, he also finds his voice. Rudi however stays single-mindedly blinded to the truth, which I struggled with for most of the book. As I was supposed to I assume, I was rooting for Peter to have his freedom, to have his voice, for his father to find peace and redemption and for those speaking out against oppression - and I was consistently irritated with Rudi's judgmental selfishness, but of course how do you truly reckon with the truth, and differentiate truth from lies, when all you have been told is one sided? It is a cautionary reminder of history, of how easy it can be to follow along blindly, and how important it is to know the truth and speak the truth. I kept waiting for Rudi to redeem himself, and found myself honestly not hopeful at the end of the story, but simply resigned to the reality of life, and the complexity of people, the heaviness of history. In all, I have no complaints, the writing, the story, all wonderfully told, plot was well-paced and I was engaged with each character - all I felt were developed appropriately. I will definitely be recommending this one to my historical fiction readers.
November 5, 2023
This young adult novel is historical fiction set when the Berlin Wall went up overnight in August, 1961. I thought I knew all that I could know about the end of WWII, I had no idea.
Did you know that when the city of Berlin fell, it was divided into 4 sections: the communist Soviet section, and then the American, British, and French sections? This created the Cold War between the US and Russia, and was not resolved until the Berlin Wall came down in 1991. IN 1991!
And here we are today, politically and diplomatically still trying to navigate around and negotiate with the likes of Putin and the Russian machine of disinformation and autocracy. The Cold War ended, but did it really? Was the invasion of Ukraine the start of the Second Cold War?
This book features a pair of twin brothers who are 16 years old the summer the Berlin Wall went up. The family is torn apart because one brother gets left behind. An underground cabaret scene is especially detailed and powerful. Loyalties are tested and not everyone is who you think they are! Lastly, the title comes from a specialty powdered jelly doughnut that is unique to Berlin.
This title reminds me of Kip Wilson's, the Most Dazzling Girl in Berlin, which features another underground cabaret scene, this time in 1930s Berlin.
Educate yourself, read this book! Well done Vesper.
Did you know that when the city of Berlin fell, it was divided into 4 sections: the communist Soviet section, and then the American, British, and French sections? This created the Cold War between the US and Russia, and was not resolved until the Berlin Wall came down in 1991. IN 1991!
And here we are today, politically and diplomatically still trying to navigate around and negotiate with the likes of Putin and the Russian machine of disinformation and autocracy. The Cold War ended, but did it really? Was the invasion of Ukraine the start of the Second Cold War?
This book features a pair of twin brothers who are 16 years old the summer the Berlin Wall went up. The family is torn apart because one brother gets left behind. An underground cabaret scene is especially detailed and powerful. Loyalties are tested and not everyone is who you think they are! Lastly, the title comes from a specialty powdered jelly doughnut that is unique to Berlin.
This title reminds me of Kip Wilson's, the Most Dazzling Girl in Berlin, which features another underground cabaret scene, this time in 1930s Berlin.
Educate yourself, read this book! Well done Vesper.
November 13, 2022
Vesper Stamper paints a vivid picture of young artists wrestling with challenging life circumstances and learning to overcome and express themselves. She doesn't shy away from the difficulties of life in that era but also keeps the narrative and references appropriate for her audience. She endeavors to portray a realistic picture of the thoughts and feelings of the people who lived in that time - both those in East Germany and in West Germany. The twin protagonists present their Cain & Abel like struggles in compelling storylines and I found myself able to relate to both in different ways.
I thoroughly enjoyed being immersed in the culture and going on the journey with this family. Vesper does an excellent job of portraying real consequences for various actions, without being moralistic or preachy, and the challenge that all young people face to either follow the crowd or blaze their own path.
I highly recommend this book to anyone - teenager or adult - who wants to be transported to this key time in history that we've learned very little about.
If you've read her first book, What the Night Sings, this is a fantastic sequel or spinoff novel that picks up the story of some characters you meet in that book.
I thoroughly enjoyed being immersed in the culture and going on the journey with this family. Vesper does an excellent job of portraying real consequences for various actions, without being moralistic or preachy, and the challenge that all young people face to either follow the crowd or blaze their own path.
I highly recommend this book to anyone - teenager or adult - who wants to be transported to this key time in history that we've learned very little about.
If you've read her first book, What the Night Sings, this is a fantastic sequel or spinoff novel that picks up the story of some characters you meet in that book.
November 6, 2023
This book tells the story of fraternal twins, Peter and Rudi, growing up in East Germany just before the Berlin Wall is constructed. Peter is the golden child to whom everything comes easily, but he dreams of becoming an actor and moving to the West. Rudi is a die-hard East German content to live by the rules. The twist happens when Rudi and his father, then the grandma, escape to West Germany just before the Berlin Wall is constructed. Peter is left behind (with only his mother in a mental institution) and jailed due to his underground comedy act against the government.
Spoilers- Rudi discovers his parents were Nazis, Peter is released from jail to become a border guard and Rudi watches as Peter dives into the river to escape. He is bleeding from being shot, but is rescued by West Germans. Rudi captures it all on film since he escaped back into the East. The Uncle Martin used Rudi to catch Peter, but was arrested when he crossed over onto the West German side. The story ends abruptly so you never know what happens to everyone. Also, berliner is actually a jam filled doughnut!
Spoilers- Rudi discovers his parents were Nazis, Peter is released from jail to become a border guard and Rudi watches as Peter dives into the river to escape. He is bleeding from being shot, but is rescued by West Germans. Rudi captures it all on film since he escaped back into the East. The Uncle Martin used Rudi to catch Peter, but was arrested when he crossed over onto the West German side. The story ends abruptly so you never know what happens to everyone. Also, berliner is actually a jam filled doughnut!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2025
Excellent historical fiction, set during the year the Berlin Wall went up. I thought it was a slow start, because it is very detailed in establishing the setting and gradually developing these two brothers as characters, very close to each other but very different. One is totally a diehard for east German politics while the other is more of a rebel and wants to live in the West. I had thought the parents would split up much sooner, setting up the central conflict a little earlier and maybe piquing readers' interest from the start. I was fascinated the whole way through, but this period in history and this city in particular are close to my heart and so I'll read anything set in postwar Berlin. Teens who don't know the history might need more action earlier on to keep their interest. But overall a really good look at West and East Berlin of 1961, and a sad story of twin brothers who grow from inseparable best friends to estranged enemies. I love the illustrations; as always Ms. Stamper is a phenomenal artist as well as writer.
November 9, 2022
3.5 stars
Thanks to @purpleshelfmedia @knopfteeen for the free copy of this new release and extra goodies.
The story is set in the time leading up to the wall’s construction and follows twin brothers and their fracturing family as the tumult of the time pulls them in different directions.
I have read several books set around the time of the Berlin Wall, but this one delves into a little different perspectives than I haven’t explored before. Some of the pacing and timeline were a little different than I expected based on the synopsis and sometimes it felt like emotional impactive moments were skimmed over, but overall it was a thought provoking read that made me consider the complexities and simplicities of human living.
Trigger/content warnings: . A little bit of strong language.
Thanks to @purpleshelfmedia @knopfteeen for the free copy of this new release and extra goodies.
The story is set in the time leading up to the wall’s construction and follows twin brothers and their fracturing family as the tumult of the time pulls them in different directions.
I have read several books set around the time of the Berlin Wall, but this one delves into a little different perspectives than I haven’t explored before. Some of the pacing and timeline were a little different than I expected based on the synopsis and sometimes it felt like emotional impactive moments were skimmed over, but overall it was a thought provoking read that made me consider the complexities and simplicities of human living.
Trigger/content warnings: . A little bit of strong language.
December 11, 2022
I like to save my Five Stars for something really special, and this book is well worthy! This well-researched book drew me into the life of the Moeser-Fleischmann family. When I closed the book, I couldn't believe Peter and Rudi were not going to be a part of my life anymore!
While this book is categorized as YA fiction (a caution, there is some language, but not a lot), it more than satisfies the adult reader. Her twelve illustrations are beautiful and moving, contributing to the reader's imagination of the scenes. And having been in Berlin over the summer myself, her description of the Wall popping up overnight, in the middle of everything was VERY realistic, almost tangible.
It is also a part of history that gets overlooked in favor of it's predecessor, World War II. Yet it is equally important to an understanding of today's world, and very relevant to our time. Thank you, Vesper, for this book.
While this book is categorized as YA fiction (a caution, there is some language, but not a lot), it more than satisfies the adult reader. Her twelve illustrations are beautiful and moving, contributing to the reader's imagination of the scenes. And having been in Berlin over the summer myself, her description of the Wall popping up overnight, in the middle of everything was VERY realistic, almost tangible.
It is also a part of history that gets overlooked in favor of it's predecessor, World War II. Yet it is equally important to an understanding of today's world, and very relevant to our time. Thank you, Vesper, for this book.
January 7, 2023
We know what happened to the former concentration camp victims after the Holocaust, but what happened to the Nazis? The people who committed atrocities, or at least followed along to save their own skin, and then found themselves under another oppressive regime in the schism of Berlin? Two boys, one seeking freedom and his twin who follows party doctrine, are about to find out what happens when your past isn’t what you think it is. I loved our two main characters and their interactions, and they served well as dual narrators. I also loved Charles and how his experiences as a Black American mirror what the boys were learning about. I do feel like the ending regarding the Uncle felt a bit rushed and could have been much cooler stretched out a bit through the plot, but it was overall a very good book with a fulfilling ending. I’m beginning a short series of books about the Berlin Wall, so this was a great start to a little learning jaunt. :)
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