Repercussions

by Anthony Schneider

Henry Wegland, a former African National Congress activist now living in New York with his son, Glenn, and his daughter-in-law encourages his grandson, Saul, to travel to South Africa and make a documentary about the people involved in the country's liberation.Saul begins to unravel the dark secrets of his grandfather s past and the shocking events that led to his escape from South Africa when he, Saul, is kidnapped in a rural township. At the same time, Henry, now in his twilight years, must come to terms with Glenn and their strained relationship, making peace with the choice he once made for the two of them.Spanning past and present, South Africa and New York, the interlocking narratives of Repercussions are a spellbinding portrayal of exile, the meaning of home, and how one man s attempt to liberate his country changed the lives of his family for generations.

260 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 8, 2016

About the author

Anthony Schneider has been published in McSweeneys, Conjunctions, Bold Type, Details, US News & World Report, as well as fiction anthologies and other magazines. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the NYU Creative Writing Program, he was awarded a MacDowell Fellowship and was a Pushcart Prize finalist.

His second novel, LOWDOWN, is published by Permanent Press.

His first novel, REPERCUSSIONS, won an Indies Book of the Year Award.

He divides his time between New York and London.

Reviews

[Alyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. The characters, their relationships, their problems, their life experiences: all amazing. Everything felt so natural and real that it was hard to tell if this was fiction or fact. The characters were all so well constructed and fleshed out, with virtues and vices alike, that despite their mistakes they were human and sympathetic. There were no bad guys, no antagonists, just honest and compelling characters living their lives (or dealing with the consequences of their choices).

Bouncing back and forth between times, places, and character perspectives, this book is essentially the story of Henry, a man born in Lithuania, raised in England and then South Africa, and ultimately fleeing to New York where he starts raises his son, retires, and grows old. I don't want to say too much and spoil the journey for other readers, but as the book goes on the reader learns more about his somewhat naive participation in the ANC during his adolescence and early adulthood, and the price he pays for his decisions -both personal and professional. But it touches on something deeper than his individual story, and resonates with anyone who feels they've never quite mastered "adulting" or who have had to take the good and the bad that comes along with their personal ideals and beliefs, who questions their every decision during parenthood (or not, being a parent is not in any way a required pre-requisite for identifying strongly with the somewhat universal concerns and emotions Henry experiences).

Simply, this book is a compelling and masterfully written story of one man and his family, their journey through life and idealistic struggles.

This is the type of book that makes the Goodreads Giveaways the best program ever: I would likely have never stumbled upon this title had I not seen it listed as a giveaway (and subsequently won a preview copy), and I would have been worse off if I'd never had a chance to read this book.

Anthony Schneider did an amazing job and I hope this book makes it to the top of every bestseller list, where it deserves to be.

[Will Konstant · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gripping read, which encompasses history and love, old age remarkably rendered and a kidnapping in a rural town, from Brooklyn to South Africa, it's a book with enormous scope and enormous focus. The novel is told in parallel stories, -- 1963 South Africa, 2014 Brooklyn, 2014 South Africa -- and each has its own adrenaline. I got so caught up in the lives of the lawyer who risks his life to change his country, in that lawyer fifty two years later, and in the grandson who goes to his homeland only to run face to face with death.

A debut novel and a scorching read.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blending past and present, Africa, America and Europe, and young and old points of view, Anthony Schneider’s Repercussions echoes with the weight of small events that change everything. The journeys from peaceful family to potential terrorist, from America’s cities to small-town Africa, and from love to rejection are all beautifully drawn and described. Meanwhile relationships slip and slide across the grit of human lives.

Old Harry Wegland has a past, but seems so normal in the present, struggling to cope with trials of age and health and his place in the extended family home. Could he really have known Mandela in South Africa? If so, how does a nice Jewish guy get from there to here? Or how does he get back?

Grandson Saul's safe life lifts a mirror to the dangers his grandfather knew. But Saul’s present might soon collide with Harry’s past, while the ever-patient generation in-between looks on without affect. The greatest repercussions, it seems, might come from the smallest seeds.

Accents, Jewish, South African and American, are beautifully woven into rhythm and words in this novel. Well-described scenery of Liverpool’s docklands, America’s cities, or Africa’s dusty roads, offers islands of peace for the coming storm. And characters drift into past and present day scenes, tying it all together. White immigration via war and poverty, lives of sons without mothers, uprooted souls... their repercussions feed this novel, making it a vivid recreation of recent history, a convincing exploration into heart and soul, and a surprisingly gentle reminder of those everflowing consequences of love, hate, and hope.

Disclosure: I was given a free preview edition by the publisher and I offer my honest review.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written novel that interweaves the complexities of activism with the transience of identity, place, family, and relationships. I was completely engrossed and relished the quiet and yet powerful insights throughout! A really wonderful read!

[Karol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is a page turner that moves from intense action to intimate relationships that uncover flawed humanity’s attempts to make the world a more just place. It left me thinking about the high personal price people pay for participating in struggles like the fight to end apartheid in South Africa dramatized in this book. I didn’t want it to end.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful written story with likeable, yet flawed, characters as they deal with the challenges of everyday life and the harsh realities of apartheid

[Caren-Ann Monty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reads like a thriller, I couldn't put it down, but also a deep dive into the book's fascinating characters, into history, and into ideas.

How much would you do to change the country you love? What would you sacrifice? And how will you deal with the repercussions for many generations to come. A high-octane literary thriller, and a potent blend of historical fiction and suspense.

The book starts with a bomb, and ends many years later in a different country. I loved the historical span but also the taut, tense action, and the beautiful writing. This is a book that will stay with you for a long time.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written and quite insightful about how people think about being brave and taking political action. Several plot lines (and time lines) weave together, propelling the narrative. My only issue is that this would have been more impactful for me as a reader if I had more ties to South Africa.