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Elly
Elly ist weg. Eines Tages verschwindet die Elfjährige spurlos aus dem Leben ihrer Familie. Die Eltern und Ellys ältere Schwester bleiben zurück und versuchen trotz des Verlustes weiterzumachen. Doch die drei können nicht loslassen, Elly bleibt allgegenwärtig, in Gedanken, Taten und Schuldgefühlen. Jeder spielt den Tag, nach dem nichts mehr war wie zuvor, unablässig im Kopf durch. Die Suche nach Elly hört nicht auf, alle Beteiligten schaffen sich ihren eigenen Ersatz für das Verlorene. »Elly« erzählt eine eindringliche und berührende Geschichte über den Sog von Trauer und Hoffnung darüber, wie eine Familie durch das Verschwinden der Tochter jegliche Gewissheiten verliert. Maike Wetzels Roman besticht durch seine fesselnde Atmosphäre und sprachliche Brillanz. So entsteht das facettenreiche Bild einer Familie, deren Sehnsucht nach dem Verlorenen die Wirklichkeit verdrängt.
148 pages, Hardcover
First published August 7, 2018
9 people are currently reading
227 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
March 19, 2020
What a strange little novella this is.
Eleven year old Elly rides her bike to her sports class as she has done many times before however this time she doesn't arrive. She also doesn't return home. The police investigation can find no explanation for her disappearance. The family is told to move on.
Four years later and Elly returns. Or did she?
"Finally Elly appears, transformed. She is much older, her eyes are dark. We stare at her. Then my mother puts her arms around her and embraces her. We surround the girl, cover her with our bodies. We are vampires. We shroud her. All that remains is a bare skeleton. A small child enters. It laughs and picks up a broom. It sweeps the stage clean. Then it throws the broom into the audience, crosses its legs and sits down, and says: So far, so good."
For a book with a 2.91 average rating on Goodreads I was pleasantly surprised by this one. The writing is beautiful and the story slowly builds in tension and there is a touch of menace in the air as you are reading. You can easily read this in an hour or two and I found this to be a fine way to pass some time. 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Scribe UK for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Eleven year old Elly rides her bike to her sports class as she has done many times before however this time she doesn't arrive. She also doesn't return home. The police investigation can find no explanation for her disappearance. The family is told to move on.
Four years later and Elly returns. Or did she?
"Finally Elly appears, transformed. She is much older, her eyes are dark. We stare at her. Then my mother puts her arms around her and embraces her. We surround the girl, cover her with our bodies. We are vampires. We shroud her. All that remains is a bare skeleton. A small child enters. It laughs and picks up a broom. It sweeps the stage clean. Then it throws the broom into the audience, crosses its legs and sits down, and says: So far, so good."
For a book with a 2.91 average rating on Goodreads I was pleasantly surprised by this one. The writing is beautiful and the story slowly builds in tension and there is a touch of menace in the air as you are reading. You can easily read this in an hour or two and I found this to be a fine way to pass some time. 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Scribe UK for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
September 5, 2020
OK, I admit it. I did not understand this novel.
The premise is straightforward and it is stated on the back cover: Eleven-year-old Elly is missing After an extensive police search she is presumed dead, and her family must learn to live with a gaping hole in their lives. Then, four years later, she reappears. But soon her parents and sister are plagued by doubts. Is this stranger really the same little girl who went missing? And if not, who is she? Elly is a gripping tale of grief, longing, and doubt, which takes every parent’s greatest fear and lets it play out to an emotionally powerful, memorable climax. It’s a literary novel with all of the qualities of a thriller.
So what I don’t get, and I would hope after reaching out to GR folks who have read this novella (131 pages) I do understand it finally: what was the first part of the book about (chapter was called “Queen”) in which girls by the name of Ines (she is older sister to Elly) and Elly (I guess the girl who is going to be impersonating Elly) are in a hospital together? It’s told in a surrealistic tone, so it is hard to understand what is going on. And second, what is the “emotionally powerful, memorable climax"? And third, apparently the brief 1-3-page sections at the very beginning of the book and then at the end are probably very important to the tale, but once again I did not get their significance. The first section begins with “This story is not my story”. And the last section begins with “This story is my story”.
What was frustrating is that I have read books like this before. Where things are not laid out in cookie cutter fashion. And those books can be very good, excellent in fact, because of the way they are composed and laid out. You have to think carefully while reading the book. The novel that was similar in style to this tale, at least in my opinion, was 'Fever Dream' by Samanta Schweblin, which while reading it, I loved and was horrified at the same time. I understood the gist of that book—maybe not all of it, but enough of it so I could appreciate it.
My suspicion is I must have missed some key things. After all, apparently this novel won two literary prizes. So other people got it. I guess with these sorts of novels and the way they are told it a dicey business for authors. Because they probably know that not everybody is going to get it after it is read. It’s probably a difficult thing to estimate what should be put into such a book, what should be left out, the artful crafting of sentences, paragraphs, whole sections, etc. so that the style is maintained but yet enough people “get it” so that the novel is successful. My guess is that when I get to the reviews and read them, the reviews will be positive. I wish I could have given this tale a better review but how can I when some basic things eluded me? ☹
Reviews:
https://www.eurolitnetwork.com/riveti...
https://nbmagazine.co.uk/elly-by-maik...
From a blogger: https://lynmarven.wordpress.com/2018/...
From a blogger: https://theresasmithwrites.com/2020/0...
From a blogger: http://theblurb.com.au/wp/elly-maike-...
The premise is straightforward and it is stated on the back cover: Eleven-year-old Elly is missing After an extensive police search she is presumed dead, and her family must learn to live with a gaping hole in their lives. Then, four years later, she reappears. But soon her parents and sister are plagued by doubts. Is this stranger really the same little girl who went missing? And if not, who is she? Elly is a gripping tale of grief, longing, and doubt, which takes every parent’s greatest fear and lets it play out to an emotionally powerful, memorable climax. It’s a literary novel with all of the qualities of a thriller.
So what I don’t get, and I would hope after reaching out to GR folks who have read this novella (131 pages) I do understand it finally: what was the first part of the book about (chapter was called “Queen”) in which girls by the name of Ines (she is older sister to Elly) and Elly (I guess the girl who is going to be impersonating Elly) are in a hospital together? It’s told in a surrealistic tone, so it is hard to understand what is going on. And second, what is the “emotionally powerful, memorable climax"? And third, apparently the brief 1-3-page sections at the very beginning of the book and then at the end are probably very important to the tale, but once again I did not get their significance. The first section begins with “This story is not my story”. And the last section begins with “This story is my story”.
What was frustrating is that I have read books like this before. Where things are not laid out in cookie cutter fashion. And those books can be very good, excellent in fact, because of the way they are composed and laid out. You have to think carefully while reading the book. The novel that was similar in style to this tale, at least in my opinion, was 'Fever Dream' by Samanta Schweblin, which while reading it, I loved and was horrified at the same time. I understood the gist of that book—maybe not all of it, but enough of it so I could appreciate it.
My suspicion is I must have missed some key things. After all, apparently this novel won two literary prizes. So other people got it. I guess with these sorts of novels and the way they are told it a dicey business for authors. Because they probably know that not everybody is going to get it after it is read. It’s probably a difficult thing to estimate what should be put into such a book, what should be left out, the artful crafting of sentences, paragraphs, whole sections, etc. so that the style is maintained but yet enough people “get it” so that the novel is successful. My guess is that when I get to the reviews and read them, the reviews will be positive. I wish I could have given this tale a better review but how can I when some basic things eluded me? ☹
Reviews:
https://www.eurolitnetwork.com/riveti...
https://nbmagazine.co.uk/elly-by-maik...
From a blogger: https://lynmarven.wordpress.com/2018/...
From a blogger: https://theresasmithwrites.com/2020/0...
From a blogger: http://theblurb.com.au/wp/elly-maike-...
May 14, 2020
What an amazing little book! It wrapped so much depth of characters and story in 148 pages. Originally written in Germany the translation is flawless and smooth. How do you deal with losing a child? What do you do when a child shows up 4 years later stating she is your daughter? Very thought provoking story.
March 8, 2020
Thank you @scribe_uk for gifting me an advanced copy of Elly by Maike Wetzel to review! This literary thriller translated from German by Lyn Marven took me by surprise - it’s a very powerful little novel packed into just 137 pages.
.
Elly disappeared four years ago. Although her family searched and searched, no hint of her whereabouts was ever found. But now, four years later, Elly’s come back. The family are thrilled, they didn’t dare dream that one day they might be reunited with their youngest daughter. As Elly readjusts to life at home, however, her parents and sister begin to get the uneasy feeling that something isn’t quite right...
.
I raced through this one in an hour and a half and I’d recommend you set aside a chunk of time one Sunday afternoon and do the same! It highly benefits from a one-sit read, as Wetzel builds the tension in such a way that you can’t help but continue to flip the pages. I think her sparse style with a heavy reliance on short sentences translates brilliantly into English, with Lyn Marven recreating that starkness.
.
Although I enjoyed the whole book, the opening chapters are definitely the strongest. Wetzel portrays an unhealthy relationship between Elly’s sister and a young girl she’s hospitalised with, demonstrating how deeply she’s been affected by the loss of her little sister.
.
My one complaint is that I think I would have preferred an omniscient third person narrator, rather than switching between first person perspectives. I didn’t think the voices were particularly differentiated from one another, so an intimate third person would have worked just as well.
.
Overall, a satisfyingly dark little book about grief and loss, playing into a family’s worst fears.
.
Elly disappeared four years ago. Although her family searched and searched, no hint of her whereabouts was ever found. But now, four years later, Elly’s come back. The family are thrilled, they didn’t dare dream that one day they might be reunited with their youngest daughter. As Elly readjusts to life at home, however, her parents and sister begin to get the uneasy feeling that something isn’t quite right...
.
I raced through this one in an hour and a half and I’d recommend you set aside a chunk of time one Sunday afternoon and do the same! It highly benefits from a one-sit read, as Wetzel builds the tension in such a way that you can’t help but continue to flip the pages. I think her sparse style with a heavy reliance on short sentences translates brilliantly into English, with Lyn Marven recreating that starkness.
.
Although I enjoyed the whole book, the opening chapters are definitely the strongest. Wetzel portrays an unhealthy relationship between Elly’s sister and a young girl she’s hospitalised with, demonstrating how deeply she’s been affected by the loss of her little sister.
.
My one complaint is that I think I would have preferred an omniscient third person narrator, rather than switching between first person perspectives. I didn’t think the voices were particularly differentiated from one another, so an intimate third person would have worked just as well.
.
Overall, a satisfyingly dark little book about grief and loss, playing into a family’s worst fears.
November 23, 2025
Mielenkiintoinen aiheena ja oletin ehkä kirjan olevan erilainen kuin sitten olikaan. Toisaalta pidin, toisaalta en eli aika ristiriitaiset fiilikset tästä kirjasta. Tajunnanvirtaa on useimmiten ihan mielenkiintoista lukea eli siitä plussaa mutta toisaalta kirja oli vähän sekava. Ja jäi mielestäni hieman kesken. En tarkoita nyt loppua vaan yleisesti ottaen koko kirjaa. Aiheeseen olisi voinut paneutua enemmänkin. Toisaalta olisiko se tuonut mitään lisää? Ei voi tietää. Takakansiteksti antoi olettaa enemmän kuin sitten lopulta kirjasta sai.
October 23, 2020
11 year old Elly, youngest daughter of Judith and Hamid, seemingly disappears when cycling to her Judo lesson. Four years later she is identified living rough in Denmark following what appears to be both physical and sexual abuse.
Narrated alternately by her and her family, this is a chapter by chapter gradual reveal that indicate things aren’t as clear as they may seen at first, and Wetzel does a great job of building a sense of unease and unreliability.
It stands-out in the wodge of books about young girl disappearances as it isn’t a police procedural, rather a study into the impact on the family, and because of the great depth of tenderness and import there is, in such few pages.
Narrated alternately by her and her family, this is a chapter by chapter gradual reveal that indicate things aren’t as clear as they may seen at first, and Wetzel does a great job of building a sense of unease and unreliability.
It stands-out in the wodge of books about young girl disappearances as it isn’t a police procedural, rather a study into the impact on the family, and because of the great depth of tenderness and import there is, in such few pages.
Read
June 15, 2020Elly is a book about the dark side of longing.
Hubert Spiegel, speech at the Robert Gernhardt Prize
In few yet incredibly precise words, Maike Wetzel creates an oppressive tension around a family falling apart. A book that will not let you go.
Brigitte Woman
Reminiscent of Ian McEwan’s A Child in Time, Elly will have wide appeal ... Maike Wetzel’s fresh, original take on the popular literary theme of missing children is delivered in her clear, understated prose with its unflinching eye for detail.
New Books in German
Wetzel tells the story of the loss of a child as a family drama from various perspectives, in permanent present tense.
Christoph Schröder, Süddeutsche Zeitung
An elaborate mosaic about the unrelenting belief in a happy ending.
Brigitte
A highly focused and accurate novel about that which is not supposed to happen.
Judith Von Sternburg, Frankfurter Rundschau Online
Breathtaking. An intense, abysmal study of the trauma of abandonment and uncertainty.
Hansruedi Kugler, Luzerner Zeitung
Wetzel’s powerful narrative style reminds of Judith Hermann, who does not waste a word, but uses unusual imagery to create atmospheres that express the unconscious, the inexpressible, the outrageous.
Volksdorfer Zeitung
Maike Wetzel mercilessly writes about overwhelming pain and its destructive power.
Hans Von Trotha, Deutschlandfunk Kultur
Psychologically refined, linguistically brilliant.
Sylvia Schwab, Hessischer Rundfunk
Wetzel’s literature gets right to the core of human existence ... How she conveys primal fears and their consequences is captivating and unsettling. Her laconic, unruffled style is in contrast to the inner life of her protagonists ... This book fits only too well in a time when assumed certainties and principles are shattered.
Michael AU, Südwestrundfunk
The perfect book for those moments when you forget the world around you.
Lydia Herms, Deutschlandfunk Nova
So haunting and touching, so captivating and intense that you cannot resist it.
Andrea Heussinger, Norddeutscher Rundfunk
An enigmatic study, a polyphonic monologue.
Cornelia Zetsche, Bayerischer Rundfunk
A fascinating narrative revolving around the question whose story is being told — and to whom stories actually belong.
Bettina Hesse
Revolving around the disappearance of an 11-year-old girl, this slender German novel builds into a brutal, uncomfortable story, told from the alternating perspectives of family members.
Marta Bausells, The Guardian, ‘Ten of the best new books in translation’
At just 150 pages long, Elly shares the best qualities of Maike’s short stories – a rumbling sense of unease or menace, an unemotional focus on emotionally-charged family dynamics, and above all Maike’s careful, pared-down prose style … Elly will leave you breathless.
Lyn Marven, translator
This short, haunting novel that can be read in one sitting is a devastating study of grief and loss.
Daily Mail
A breathless yet mournful rollout of the tides of grief and loss.
Andrea Thompson, Aust Crime Fiction
A gripping read that ends on a thought-provoking and unsettling note … Recommended reading and an ideal one for book clubs.
Theresa Smith Writes
It kept me reading, the back and forth of the narratives coupled with the lyrical penmanship was quite breath-taking … Elly is a compelling literary thriller that’s snappy and dynamic, which is fantastically translated and absolutely recommended for readers who enjoyed Lullaby, The Lovely Bones and The Girl in the Red Coat.
The Reading Closet
This poignant tale has the gripping pace of a thriller … This is a rare and evocative study of heartbreak and grief in myriad forms, and Wetzel’s skill as a short-story writer is clearly evident in this brief, taut, honed and urgent novel. A haunting and unforgettable read.
Paul Burke, European Literature Network
This is a very impressive novel, subtly layering great depth of feeling and meaning in very few words and those simply presented … [H]aunting and evocative, leaving the brain mulling over thoughts and questions even when the book is back on the shelf. It should be brilliant for book clubs that explore people, families and emotions.
Hilary White, NB
[Maike Wetzel] is a very cinematic writer.
Kate Evans, ABC Radio National The Bookshelf
Short and sharp.
Pile by the Bed
Hubert Spiegel, speech at the Robert Gernhardt Prize
In few yet incredibly precise words, Maike Wetzel creates an oppressive tension around a family falling apart. A book that will not let you go.
Brigitte Woman
Reminiscent of Ian McEwan’s A Child in Time, Elly will have wide appeal ... Maike Wetzel’s fresh, original take on the popular literary theme of missing children is delivered in her clear, understated prose with its unflinching eye for detail.
New Books in German
Wetzel tells the story of the loss of a child as a family drama from various perspectives, in permanent present tense.
Christoph Schröder, Süddeutsche Zeitung
An elaborate mosaic about the unrelenting belief in a happy ending.
Brigitte
A highly focused and accurate novel about that which is not supposed to happen.
Judith Von Sternburg, Frankfurter Rundschau Online
Breathtaking. An intense, abysmal study of the trauma of abandonment and uncertainty.
Hansruedi Kugler, Luzerner Zeitung
Wetzel’s powerful narrative style reminds of Judith Hermann, who does not waste a word, but uses unusual imagery to create atmospheres that express the unconscious, the inexpressible, the outrageous.
Volksdorfer Zeitung
Maike Wetzel mercilessly writes about overwhelming pain and its destructive power.
Hans Von Trotha, Deutschlandfunk Kultur
Psychologically refined, linguistically brilliant.
Sylvia Schwab, Hessischer Rundfunk
Wetzel’s literature gets right to the core of human existence ... How she conveys primal fears and their consequences is captivating and unsettling. Her laconic, unruffled style is in contrast to the inner life of her protagonists ... This book fits only too well in a time when assumed certainties and principles are shattered.
Michael AU, Südwestrundfunk
The perfect book for those moments when you forget the world around you.
Lydia Herms, Deutschlandfunk Nova
So haunting and touching, so captivating and intense that you cannot resist it.
Andrea Heussinger, Norddeutscher Rundfunk
An enigmatic study, a polyphonic monologue.
Cornelia Zetsche, Bayerischer Rundfunk
A fascinating narrative revolving around the question whose story is being told — and to whom stories actually belong.
Bettina Hesse
Revolving around the disappearance of an 11-year-old girl, this slender German novel builds into a brutal, uncomfortable story, told from the alternating perspectives of family members.
Marta Bausells, The Guardian, ‘Ten of the best new books in translation’
At just 150 pages long, Elly shares the best qualities of Maike’s short stories – a rumbling sense of unease or menace, an unemotional focus on emotionally-charged family dynamics, and above all Maike’s careful, pared-down prose style … Elly will leave you breathless.
Lyn Marven, translator
This short, haunting novel that can be read in one sitting is a devastating study of grief and loss.
Daily Mail
A breathless yet mournful rollout of the tides of grief and loss.
Andrea Thompson, Aust Crime Fiction
A gripping read that ends on a thought-provoking and unsettling note … Recommended reading and an ideal one for book clubs.
Theresa Smith Writes
It kept me reading, the back and forth of the narratives coupled with the lyrical penmanship was quite breath-taking … Elly is a compelling literary thriller that’s snappy and dynamic, which is fantastically translated and absolutely recommended for readers who enjoyed Lullaby, The Lovely Bones and The Girl in the Red Coat.
The Reading Closet
This poignant tale has the gripping pace of a thriller … This is a rare and evocative study of heartbreak and grief in myriad forms, and Wetzel’s skill as a short-story writer is clearly evident in this brief, taut, honed and urgent novel. A haunting and unforgettable read.
Paul Burke, European Literature Network
This is a very impressive novel, subtly layering great depth of feeling and meaning in very few words and those simply presented … [H]aunting and evocative, leaving the brain mulling over thoughts and questions even when the book is back on the shelf. It should be brilliant for book clubs that explore people, families and emotions.
Hilary White, NB
[Maike Wetzel] is a very cinematic writer.
Kate Evans, ABC Radio National The Bookshelf
Short and sharp.
Pile by the Bed
May 5, 2020
Every family’s worst nightmare forms the basis of this story: the disappearance of a child. Eleven-year-old Elly rides to judo one afternoon, a route she regularly follows, but she never arrives. The last ever sighting of her is in the middle of the road very close to her destination, picking up her sports bag which had come loose from her bike rack and fallen into the busy street. Her bike is left abandoned in the gutter.
‘There are no more first moments. When your child disappears, everything stops.’
Elly is a portrait of a family in crisis: grief, anger, disbelief, and despair are the emotions most prevalent within this family, and yet, hope is not ever fully extinguished. The way the novel begins is somewhat odd when considered in isolation, however, further in, we see the context for this beginning and it provides an interesting point for contemplation on how one person’s view of a situation can differ vastly from another’s. It’s also an intimate look at how trauma can unhinge a person’s normal state of reasoning.
‘Today I know that torture is a notion that can keep on multiplying infinitely.’
The majority of this novel is weighted in sadness. The family’s loss is profound and far reaching. Then Elly is returned to them, four years after her disappearance, altered in more ways than expected. The novel takes a disturbing turn then, leading the reader to question how well we really know our own child. Could we recognise them, for sure, if we had not seen them for four years across that transition from child to teen, particularly if they had been subject to starvation and other forms of mistreatment? Or would hope cloud our vision and lead us to see what we want to see without pause for question?
This novel offers resolution in the end, of a sorts, which I appreciated, although I’d really have liked more depth right the way through. There is little dialogue and I felt as though I was only being given the surface of the story. The rotation of the first-person narration between each of the characters possibly contributed to this as well. Their ‘voices’ were all a little too similar. This is the author’s first novel, she has previously written short stories, and I feel as though this may have influenced the novel in terms of the execution and brevity. All in all though, it is a gripping read that ends on a thought provoking and unsettling note. I think this would make a terrific film. It has a chilling atmosphere to it that would amount to compulsive viewing. Recommended reading and an ideal one for book clubs.
Thanks is extended to Scribe for providing me with a review copy of Elly.
‘There are no more first moments. When your child disappears, everything stops.’
Elly is a portrait of a family in crisis: grief, anger, disbelief, and despair are the emotions most prevalent within this family, and yet, hope is not ever fully extinguished. The way the novel begins is somewhat odd when considered in isolation, however, further in, we see the context for this beginning and it provides an interesting point for contemplation on how one person’s view of a situation can differ vastly from another’s. It’s also an intimate look at how trauma can unhinge a person’s normal state of reasoning.
‘Today I know that torture is a notion that can keep on multiplying infinitely.’
The majority of this novel is weighted in sadness. The family’s loss is profound and far reaching. Then Elly is returned to them, four years after her disappearance, altered in more ways than expected. The novel takes a disturbing turn then, leading the reader to question how well we really know our own child. Could we recognise them, for sure, if we had not seen them for four years across that transition from child to teen, particularly if they had been subject to starvation and other forms of mistreatment? Or would hope cloud our vision and lead us to see what we want to see without pause for question?
This novel offers resolution in the end, of a sorts, which I appreciated, although I’d really have liked more depth right the way through. There is little dialogue and I felt as though I was only being given the surface of the story. The rotation of the first-person narration between each of the characters possibly contributed to this as well. Their ‘voices’ were all a little too similar. This is the author’s first novel, she has previously written short stories, and I feel as though this may have influenced the novel in terms of the execution and brevity. All in all though, it is a gripping read that ends on a thought provoking and unsettling note. I think this would make a terrific film. It has a chilling atmosphere to it that would amount to compulsive viewing. Recommended reading and an ideal one for book clubs.
Thanks is extended to Scribe for providing me with a review copy of Elly.
May 3, 2020
Let me point out first of all that I don't think this is crime fiction, although it certainly presents a mystery, and most probably a crime was committed.
Part of the mystery is trying to work out who is the narrator as the chapters swap from one to another narrator, with only references to other people as the clue. It is almost like a jigsaw puzzle.
Elly disappears one hot June afternoon on her way to the local sports hall. Her sports bag falls off her bike in the middle of an intersection. She drops her bike at the side of the road and goes back to collect her bag. No one seems to know what happened after that. The caretaker at the sports hall says she never turned up there.
Elly turns up 4 years later. Her parents get a phone call and they rush to collect her. Her mother is convinced of her identity but her father and older sister are not convinced. Nor finally is a therapist who says there are distinct physical differences between this girl and the one who disappeared four years earlier.
Part of the mystery is trying to work out who is the narrator as the chapters swap from one to another narrator, with only references to other people as the clue. It is almost like a jigsaw puzzle.
Elly disappears one hot June afternoon on her way to the local sports hall. Her sports bag falls off her bike in the middle of an intersection. She drops her bike at the side of the road and goes back to collect her bag. No one seems to know what happened after that. The caretaker at the sports hall says she never turned up there.
Elly turns up 4 years later. Her parents get a phone call and they rush to collect her. Her mother is convinced of her identity but her father and older sister are not convinced. Nor finally is a therapist who says there are distinct physical differences between this girl and the one who disappeared four years earlier.
May 29, 2018
3,5 Sterne
January 19, 2020
⭐️ BOOK REVIEW ⭐️
Thank you to @scribe_uk & @maikewetzel for my ARC of Elly. This book will be available in April 2020.
This book is nothing short of incredible. It’s 137 pages long but do not underestimate what can happen in such a short amount of pages. My head is buzzing with it all!! Here’s the blurb:
Eleven year old Elly is missing. After an extensive police search she is presumed dead, and her family must learn to live with a gaping hole in their lives. Then, four years later, she reappears. But soon her parents and sister are plagued by doubts. Is this stranger really the same little girl who went missing? And if not, who is she?
⭐️
The writing style is unique, it’s almost poetic is places. It feels jumbled like the insides of the characters minds which really adds to grief and turmoil they’re faced with . It’s bordering on diary-esk with chapters from her mum, dad and sister. All over lapping but exponentially different at the same time. The drama is huge. The twists are unsettling. The grief is raw. I’ve never read anything quite like it and I loved every page. Wow!
Thank you to @scribe_uk & @maikewetzel for my ARC of Elly. This book will be available in April 2020.
This book is nothing short of incredible. It’s 137 pages long but do not underestimate what can happen in such a short amount of pages. My head is buzzing with it all!! Here’s the blurb:
Eleven year old Elly is missing. After an extensive police search she is presumed dead, and her family must learn to live with a gaping hole in their lives. Then, four years later, she reappears. But soon her parents and sister are plagued by doubts. Is this stranger really the same little girl who went missing? And if not, who is she?
⭐️
The writing style is unique, it’s almost poetic is places. It feels jumbled like the insides of the characters minds which really adds to grief and turmoil they’re faced with . It’s bordering on diary-esk with chapters from her mum, dad and sister. All over lapping but exponentially different at the same time. The drama is huge. The twists are unsettling. The grief is raw. I’ve never read anything quite like it and I loved every page. Wow!
July 20, 2020
3 1/2 stars rounded up- great premise - taut writing
My View:
Sparsely written, staccato in style – a story of loss, grief, desperation and the longing for completeness, of family.
This is a quick yet powerful read; there is a darkness buried deep in our soul that is slowly pared back, revealed by the knife of grief and longing. The sister and her desire to “claim”, reinvent a new sister, the family unit in its desperate need to believe that the “returned” child is their own, that child’s need for the comfort and completeness of “family”.
An extraordinary and unsettling read.
PS – the cover is perfect – subtle yet evocative.
My View:
Sparsely written, staccato in style – a story of loss, grief, desperation and the longing for completeness, of family.
This is a quick yet powerful read; there is a darkness buried deep in our soul that is slowly pared back, revealed by the knife of grief and longing. The sister and her desire to “claim”, reinvent a new sister, the family unit in its desperate need to believe that the “returned” child is their own, that child’s need for the comfort and completeness of “family”.
An extraordinary and unsettling read.
PS – the cover is perfect – subtle yet evocative.
January 23, 2020
Everything we had goes out of focus, everything we experienced with her falls apart’ - Elly - Maike Wetzel 🚲
Well, that was weird. I don’t even know how to review this book. A mere 137 pages of beautiful writing and lovely descriptions and not much else.
The final chapter is all we needed really. It was written in an odd but fascinating way that drew me in and held my attention but I guess I’m just used to getting more from a book.
If you enjoy reading beautiful pieces of writing I highly recommend this to you.
Well, that was weird. I don’t even know how to review this book. A mere 137 pages of beautiful writing and lovely descriptions and not much else.
The final chapter is all we needed really. It was written in an odd but fascinating way that drew me in and held my attention but I guess I’m just used to getting more from a book.
If you enjoy reading beautiful pieces of writing I highly recommend this to you.
May 25, 2020
There isn't enough to this book. It's 130 pages and takes 6 different points of view, and covers Elly's disappearance, return, and what happens after. That amount of content crammed into so few pages doesn't leave room to get into the characters or their lives, it's just constantly introducing something new
September 19, 2020
Kertomus Elly-nimisen tytön katoamisesta (ja löytymisestä) ja katoamisen vaikutuksesta muuhun perheeseen. Jos tätä lukisi perinteisempänä dekkarina tai trillerinä, ehkä voisi pettyä. Sitä se ei minusta ole, vaan pikemminkin kirjassa tutkitaan menetyksen, surun, kaltoinkohtelun ja traumojen luonnetta ja seurauksia. Tunnelma on painostava ja unenomaisella tavalla raskas.
Pidin tästä yllättävänkin paljon, mutta selkeitä puutteita siinä on. Henkilöistä pidin ja he olivat uskottavia, eräät juonenkäänteet eivät niinkään. Toisaalta kirjailija jättää paljon paljastamatta ja antaa lukijan mielikuvitukselle tilaa, toisaalta kertoo ehkä liikaakin. Itse pidin enemmän siitä epävarmuuden tunteesta jonka tarina alkupuolella herätti, ehkä olisin nauttinut enemmän jos minulle olisi paljastettu vielä vähemmän.
Pidin tästä yllättävänkin paljon, mutta selkeitä puutteita siinä on. Henkilöistä pidin ja he olivat uskottavia, eräät juonenkäänteet eivät niinkään. Toisaalta kirjailija jättää paljon paljastamatta ja antaa lukijan mielikuvitukselle tilaa, toisaalta kertoo ehkä liikaakin. Itse pidin enemmän siitä epävarmuuden tunteesta jonka tarina alkupuolella herätti, ehkä olisin nauttinut enemmän jos minulle olisi paljastettu vielä vähemmän.
September 26, 2020
Beautifully written novella. I found the first chapters very cool, but the last few left me wishing the story had wrapped up in a more impactful way. Positive surprise for a book with such a low goodreads score.
Read
June 15, 2020Elly is a book about the dark side of longing.
Hubert Spiegel, speech at the Robert Gernhardt Prize
In few yet incredibly precise words, Maike Wetzel creates an oppressive tension around a family falling apart. A book that will not let you go.
Brigitte Woman
Reminiscent of Ian McEwan’s A Child in Time, Elly will have wide appeal ... Maike Wetzel’s fresh, original take on the popular literary theme of missing children is delivered in her clear, understated prose with its unflinching eye for detail.
New Books in German
Wetzel tells the story of the loss of a child as a family drama from various perspectives, in permanent present tense.
Christoph Schröder, Süddeutsche Zeitung
An elaborate mosaic about the unrelenting belief in a happy ending.
Brigitte
A highly focused and accurate novel about that which is not supposed to happen.
Judith Von Sternburg, Frankfurter Rundschau Online
Breathtaking. An intense, abysmal study of the trauma of abandonment and uncertainty.
Hansruedi Kugler, Luzerner Zeitung
Wetzel’s powerful narrative style reminds of Judith Hermann, who does not waste a word, but uses unusual imagery to create atmospheres that express the unconscious, the inexpressible, the outrageous.
Volksdorfer Zeitung
Maike Wetzel mercilessly writes about overwhelming pain and its destructive power.
Hans Von Trotha, Deutschlandfunk Kultur
Psychologically refined, linguistically brilliant.
Sylvia Schwab, Hessischer Rundfunk
Wetzel’s literature gets right to the core of human existence ... How she conveys primal fears and their consequences is captivating and unsettling. Her laconic, unruffled style is in contrast to the inner life of her protagonists ... This book fits only too well in a time when assumed certainties and principles are shattered.
Michael AU, Südwestrundfunk
The perfect book for those moments when you forget the world around you.
Lydia Herms, Deutschlandfunk Nova
So haunting and touching, so captivating and intense that you cannot resist it.
Andrea Heussinger, Norddeutscher Rundfunk
An enigmatic study, a polyphonic monologue.
Cornelia Zetsche, Bayerischer Rundfunk
A fascinating narrative revolving around the question whose story is being told — and to whom stories actually belong.
Bettina Hesse
Revolving around the disappearance of an 11-year-old girl, this slender German novel builds into a brutal, uncomfortable story, told from the alternating perspectives of family members.
Marta Bausells, The Guardian, ‘Ten of the best new books in translation’
At just 150 pages long, Elly shares the best qualities of Maike’s short stories – a rumbling sense of unease or menace, an unemotional focus on emotionally-charged family dynamics, and above all Maike’s careful, pared-down prose style … Elly will leave you breathless.
Lyn Marven, translator
This short, haunting novel that can be read in one sitting is a devastating study of grief and loss.
Daily Mail
A breathless yet mournful rollout of the tides of grief and loss.
Andrea Thompson, Aust Crime Fiction
A gripping read that ends on a thought-provoking and unsettling note … Recommended reading and an ideal one for book clubs.
Theresa Smith Writes
It kept me reading, the back and forth of the narratives coupled with the lyrical penmanship was quite breath-taking … Elly is a compelling literary thriller that’s snappy and dynamic, which is fantastically translated and absolutely recommended for readers who enjoyed Lullaby, The Lovely Bones and The Girl in the Red Coat.
The Reading Closet
This poignant tale has the gripping pace of a thriller … This is a rare and evocative study of heartbreak and grief in myriad forms, and Wetzel’s skill as a short-story writer is clearly evident in this brief, taut, honed and urgent novel. A haunting and unforgettable read.
Paul Burke, European Literature Network
This is a very impressive novel, subtly layering great depth of feeling and meaning in very few words and those simply presented … [H]aunting and evocative, leaving the brain mulling over thoughts and questions even when the book is back on the shelf. It should be brilliant for book clubs that explore people, families and emotions.
Hilary White, NB
[Maike Wetzel] is a very cinematic writer.
Kate Evans, ABC Radio National The Bookshelf
Short and sharp.
Pile by the Bed
Hubert Spiegel, speech at the Robert Gernhardt Prize
In few yet incredibly precise words, Maike Wetzel creates an oppressive tension around a family falling apart. A book that will not let you go.
Brigitte Woman
Reminiscent of Ian McEwan’s A Child in Time, Elly will have wide appeal ... Maike Wetzel’s fresh, original take on the popular literary theme of missing children is delivered in her clear, understated prose with its unflinching eye for detail.
New Books in German
Wetzel tells the story of the loss of a child as a family drama from various perspectives, in permanent present tense.
Christoph Schröder, Süddeutsche Zeitung
An elaborate mosaic about the unrelenting belief in a happy ending.
Brigitte
A highly focused and accurate novel about that which is not supposed to happen.
Judith Von Sternburg, Frankfurter Rundschau Online
Breathtaking. An intense, abysmal study of the trauma of abandonment and uncertainty.
Hansruedi Kugler, Luzerner Zeitung
Wetzel’s powerful narrative style reminds of Judith Hermann, who does not waste a word, but uses unusual imagery to create atmospheres that express the unconscious, the inexpressible, the outrageous.
Volksdorfer Zeitung
Maike Wetzel mercilessly writes about overwhelming pain and its destructive power.
Hans Von Trotha, Deutschlandfunk Kultur
Psychologically refined, linguistically brilliant.
Sylvia Schwab, Hessischer Rundfunk
Wetzel’s literature gets right to the core of human existence ... How she conveys primal fears and their consequences is captivating and unsettling. Her laconic, unruffled style is in contrast to the inner life of her protagonists ... This book fits only too well in a time when assumed certainties and principles are shattered.
Michael AU, Südwestrundfunk
The perfect book for those moments when you forget the world around you.
Lydia Herms, Deutschlandfunk Nova
So haunting and touching, so captivating and intense that you cannot resist it.
Andrea Heussinger, Norddeutscher Rundfunk
An enigmatic study, a polyphonic monologue.
Cornelia Zetsche, Bayerischer Rundfunk
A fascinating narrative revolving around the question whose story is being told — and to whom stories actually belong.
Bettina Hesse
Revolving around the disappearance of an 11-year-old girl, this slender German novel builds into a brutal, uncomfortable story, told from the alternating perspectives of family members.
Marta Bausells, The Guardian, ‘Ten of the best new books in translation’
At just 150 pages long, Elly shares the best qualities of Maike’s short stories – a rumbling sense of unease or menace, an unemotional focus on emotionally-charged family dynamics, and above all Maike’s careful, pared-down prose style … Elly will leave you breathless.
Lyn Marven, translator
This short, haunting novel that can be read in one sitting is a devastating study of grief and loss.
Daily Mail
A breathless yet mournful rollout of the tides of grief and loss.
Andrea Thompson, Aust Crime Fiction
A gripping read that ends on a thought-provoking and unsettling note … Recommended reading and an ideal one for book clubs.
Theresa Smith Writes
It kept me reading, the back and forth of the narratives coupled with the lyrical penmanship was quite breath-taking … Elly is a compelling literary thriller that’s snappy and dynamic, which is fantastically translated and absolutely recommended for readers who enjoyed Lullaby, The Lovely Bones and The Girl in the Red Coat.
The Reading Closet
This poignant tale has the gripping pace of a thriller … This is a rare and evocative study of heartbreak and grief in myriad forms, and Wetzel’s skill as a short-story writer is clearly evident in this brief, taut, honed and urgent novel. A haunting and unforgettable read.
Paul Burke, European Literature Network
This is a very impressive novel, subtly layering great depth of feeling and meaning in very few words and those simply presented … [H]aunting and evocative, leaving the brain mulling over thoughts and questions even when the book is back on the shelf. It should be brilliant for book clubs that explore people, families and emotions.
Hilary White, NB
[Maike Wetzel] is a very cinematic writer.
Kate Evans, ABC Radio National The Bookshelf
Short and sharp.
Pile by the Bed
Read
June 15, 2020Elly is a book about the dark side of longing.
Hubert Spiegel, speech at the Robert Gernhardt Prize
In few yet incredibly precise words, Maike Wetzel creates an oppressive tension around a family falling apart. A book that will not let you go.
Brigitte Woman
Reminiscent of Ian McEwan’s A Child in Time, Elly will have wide appeal ... Maike Wetzel’s fresh, original take on the popular literary theme of missing children is delivered in her clear, understated prose with its unflinching eye for detail.
New Books in German
Wetzel tells the story of the loss of a child as a family drama from various perspectives, in permanent present tense.
Christoph Schröder, Süddeutsche Zeitung
An elaborate mosaic about the unrelenting belief in a happy ending.
Brigitte
A highly focused and accurate novel about that which is not supposed to happen.
Judith Von Sternburg, Frankfurter Rundschau Online
Breathtaking. An intense, abysmal study of the trauma of abandonment and uncertainty.
Hansruedi Kugler, Luzerner Zeitung
Wetzel’s powerful narrative style reminds of Judith Hermann, who does not waste a word, but uses unusual imagery to create atmospheres that express the unconscious, the inexpressible, the outrageous.
Volksdorfer Zeitung
Maike Wetzel mercilessly writes about overwhelming pain and its destructive power.
Hans Von Trotha, Deutschlandfunk Kultur
Psychologically refined, linguistically brilliant.
Sylvia Schwab, Hessischer Rundfunk
Wetzel’s literature gets right to the core of human existence ... How she conveys primal fears and their consequences is captivating and unsettling. Her laconic, unruffled style is in contrast to the inner life of her protagonists ... This book fits only too well in a time when assumed certainties and principles are shattered.
Michael AU, Südwestrundfunk
The perfect book for those moments when you forget the world around you.
Lydia Herms, Deutschlandfunk Nova
So haunting and touching, so captivating and intense that you cannot resist it.
Andrea Heussinger, Norddeutscher Rundfunk
An enigmatic study, a polyphonic monologue.
Cornelia Zetsche, Bayerischer Rundfunk
A fascinating narrative revolving around the question whose story is being told — and to whom stories actually belong.
Bettina Hesse
Revolving around the disappearance of an 11-year-old girl, this slender German novel builds into a brutal, uncomfortable story, told from the alternating perspectives of family members.
Marta Bausells, The Guardian, ‘Ten of the best new books in translation’
At just 150 pages long, Elly shares the best qualities of Maike’s short stories – a rumbling sense of unease or menace, an unemotional focus on emotionally-charged family dynamics, and above all Maike’s careful, pared-down prose style … Elly will leave you breathless.
Lyn Marven, translator
This short, haunting novel that can be read in one sitting is a devastating study of grief and loss.
Daily Mail
A breathless yet mournful rollout of the tides of grief and loss.
Andrea Thompson, Aust Crime Fiction
A gripping read that ends on a thought-provoking and unsettling note … Recommended reading and an ideal one for book clubs.
Theresa Smith Writes
It kept me reading, the back and forth of the narratives coupled with the lyrical penmanship was quite breath-taking … Elly is a compelling literary thriller that’s snappy and dynamic, which is fantastically translated and absolutely recommended for readers who enjoyed Lullaby, The Lovely Bones and The Girl in the Red Coat.
The Reading Closet
This poignant tale has the gripping pace of a thriller … This is a rare and evocative study of heartbreak and grief in myriad forms, and Wetzel’s skill as a short-story writer is clearly evident in this brief, taut, honed and urgent novel. A haunting and unforgettable read.
Paul Burke, European Literature Network
This is a very impressive novel, subtly layering great depth of feeling and meaning in very few words and those simply presented … [H]aunting and evocative, leaving the brain mulling over thoughts and questions even when the book is back on the shelf. It should be brilliant for book clubs that explore people, families and emotions.
Hilary White, NB
[Maike Wetzel] is a very cinematic writer.
Kate Evans, ABC Radio National The Bookshelf
Short and sharp.
Pile by the Bed
Hubert Spiegel, speech at the Robert Gernhardt Prize
In few yet incredibly precise words, Maike Wetzel creates an oppressive tension around a family falling apart. A book that will not let you go.
Brigitte Woman
Reminiscent of Ian McEwan’s A Child in Time, Elly will have wide appeal ... Maike Wetzel’s fresh, original take on the popular literary theme of missing children is delivered in her clear, understated prose with its unflinching eye for detail.
New Books in German
Wetzel tells the story of the loss of a child as a family drama from various perspectives, in permanent present tense.
Christoph Schröder, Süddeutsche Zeitung
An elaborate mosaic about the unrelenting belief in a happy ending.
Brigitte
A highly focused and accurate novel about that which is not supposed to happen.
Judith Von Sternburg, Frankfurter Rundschau Online
Breathtaking. An intense, abysmal study of the trauma of abandonment and uncertainty.
Hansruedi Kugler, Luzerner Zeitung
Wetzel’s powerful narrative style reminds of Judith Hermann, who does not waste a word, but uses unusual imagery to create atmospheres that express the unconscious, the inexpressible, the outrageous.
Volksdorfer Zeitung
Maike Wetzel mercilessly writes about overwhelming pain and its destructive power.
Hans Von Trotha, Deutschlandfunk Kultur
Psychologically refined, linguistically brilliant.
Sylvia Schwab, Hessischer Rundfunk
Wetzel’s literature gets right to the core of human existence ... How she conveys primal fears and their consequences is captivating and unsettling. Her laconic, unruffled style is in contrast to the inner life of her protagonists ... This book fits only too well in a time when assumed certainties and principles are shattered.
Michael AU, Südwestrundfunk
The perfect book for those moments when you forget the world around you.
Lydia Herms, Deutschlandfunk Nova
So haunting and touching, so captivating and intense that you cannot resist it.
Andrea Heussinger, Norddeutscher Rundfunk
An enigmatic study, a polyphonic monologue.
Cornelia Zetsche, Bayerischer Rundfunk
A fascinating narrative revolving around the question whose story is being told — and to whom stories actually belong.
Bettina Hesse
Revolving around the disappearance of an 11-year-old girl, this slender German novel builds into a brutal, uncomfortable story, told from the alternating perspectives of family members.
Marta Bausells, The Guardian, ‘Ten of the best new books in translation’
At just 150 pages long, Elly shares the best qualities of Maike’s short stories – a rumbling sense of unease or menace, an unemotional focus on emotionally-charged family dynamics, and above all Maike’s careful, pared-down prose style … Elly will leave you breathless.
Lyn Marven, translator
This short, haunting novel that can be read in one sitting is a devastating study of grief and loss.
Daily Mail
A breathless yet mournful rollout of the tides of grief and loss.
Andrea Thompson, Aust Crime Fiction
A gripping read that ends on a thought-provoking and unsettling note … Recommended reading and an ideal one for book clubs.
Theresa Smith Writes
It kept me reading, the back and forth of the narratives coupled with the lyrical penmanship was quite breath-taking … Elly is a compelling literary thriller that’s snappy and dynamic, which is fantastically translated and absolutely recommended for readers who enjoyed Lullaby, The Lovely Bones and The Girl in the Red Coat.
The Reading Closet
This poignant tale has the gripping pace of a thriller … This is a rare and evocative study of heartbreak and grief in myriad forms, and Wetzel’s skill as a short-story writer is clearly evident in this brief, taut, honed and urgent novel. A haunting and unforgettable read.
Paul Burke, European Literature Network
This is a very impressive novel, subtly layering great depth of feeling and meaning in very few words and those simply presented … [H]aunting and evocative, leaving the brain mulling over thoughts and questions even when the book is back on the shelf. It should be brilliant for book clubs that explore people, families and emotions.
Hilary White, NB
[Maike Wetzel] is a very cinematic writer.
Kate Evans, ABC Radio National The Bookshelf
Short and sharp.
Pile by the Bed
April 24, 2020
Elly was once a sister to Ines, and a daughter to Judith and Hamid. She lives on in the stories told by others and most importantly, in the stories told by her own family. Elly is a curious novella that depicts the isolated roads that we journey through grief, surrounded by others but essentially always alone.
Elly exits the stage with no explanation, leaving only a backpack in the middle of the road to mark her last interaction with a world that had always seemed safe and secure. The fissure that was already present in her parent’s marriage has now widened and the footing her sister Ines felt she always had in her parent’s affection is no longer certain.
When the phone call come and Elly is returned to her parents, the desperation to accept the older version of their missing daughter manifests in different ways for Judith and Hamid. Gone at eleven years of age and back at fifteen, this new individual does not slot neatly back into lives that were forever altered by her loss. The worst was always assumed, but the hope never quite died. The return of Elly does not heal, but further destroys.
Raw and natural in its progression, Elly presents some challenges to the reader with its lack of dialogue and its stream of consciousness narrative. Essentially Elly is a snapshot of the after; a traumatic event has occurred, and the coping mechanisms engaged by those left behind are all unique to character. Each member of Elly’s family operates uniquely within their own grief, with the structure of their new realities not necessarily absorbing the impact the disappearance of a child has brought upon others that they care for.
As it features the thoughts and feelings of children, the writing style is a good match as to how children think and feel in the seemingly endless childhood of their lives, experiencing it all moment to moment, as children absolutely should. The manipulation of parental guilt, sibling jealousies and the need to conform to the ideals of others deemed to be more adult or more enviably placed in the world than themselves are all such huge factors in how children perceive the world, and their place in it.
This immediate narrative flow of the actions and inner thoughts of each character is not clearly delineated, so a little backtracking was occasionally necessary during the read of Elly to determine whose perspective was being relayed. Written in first person inclusive of the imaginings of possible scenarios and explanations as to what has happened to Elly, this novella is a breathless yet mournful rollout of the tides of grief and loss.
Elly exits the stage with no explanation, leaving only a backpack in the middle of the road to mark her last interaction with a world that had always seemed safe and secure. The fissure that was already present in her parent’s marriage has now widened and the footing her sister Ines felt she always had in her parent’s affection is no longer certain.
When the phone call come and Elly is returned to her parents, the desperation to accept the older version of their missing daughter manifests in different ways for Judith and Hamid. Gone at eleven years of age and back at fifteen, this new individual does not slot neatly back into lives that were forever altered by her loss. The worst was always assumed, but the hope never quite died. The return of Elly does not heal, but further destroys.
Raw and natural in its progression, Elly presents some challenges to the reader with its lack of dialogue and its stream of consciousness narrative. Essentially Elly is a snapshot of the after; a traumatic event has occurred, and the coping mechanisms engaged by those left behind are all unique to character. Each member of Elly’s family operates uniquely within their own grief, with the structure of their new realities not necessarily absorbing the impact the disappearance of a child has brought upon others that they care for.
As it features the thoughts and feelings of children, the writing style is a good match as to how children think and feel in the seemingly endless childhood of their lives, experiencing it all moment to moment, as children absolutely should. The manipulation of parental guilt, sibling jealousies and the need to conform to the ideals of others deemed to be more adult or more enviably placed in the world than themselves are all such huge factors in how children perceive the world, and their place in it.
This immediate narrative flow of the actions and inner thoughts of each character is not clearly delineated, so a little backtracking was occasionally necessary during the read of Elly to determine whose perspective was being relayed. Written in first person inclusive of the imaginings of possible scenarios and explanations as to what has happened to Elly, this novella is a breathless yet mournful rollout of the tides of grief and loss.
July 6, 2021
Fascinating and, at times, confusing tale of a family who is reunited with their missing daughter after four years. The novella is composed of several accounts, written from the point of view of those affected by Elly's disappearance. These short bursts of information sometimes take a while to figure out, as we're not told who is "speaking" in each instance. At times, I thought it was the mother, only to read a line about shaving and I would see that it was the father. This is a very well-structured story and it had me gripped to find out if the returned Elly was the true Elly.
May 7, 2020
"A missing child is a nightmare for any family"
The nightmare of when Elly goes missing is the focus of this novel, one where the ripples are provided via multiple viewpoints; her sister and parents, one that's personal with an unreliable flare at times. I was mesmerised by the writing, as well as the thoughts of the inhabitants trapped within the pages. The allure of this domestic thriller intrigued me with its distorted type plotline, one that changed from point of views in a short choppy way that works - it kept me reading, the back and forth of the narratives coupled with the lyrical penmanship was quite breath-taking. The reader is given a glimpse of the surface events that occur before Elly's absence, then dives into the depths of the emotional aftermath, focusing on the unity and emotion of the family members left behind with a huge cloud of self guilt that follows above them. All that's left behind in this shell of a family is a distant father, a self loathing mother and the left over daughter that's holding them together. The first person point of views provide an emotive core of the story, enabling us to identify them while also, from the outside, seeing the hairline cracks in the once strong familial bonds as they live in a bubble of loss and unknowing.
Elly is a tale of every parents nightmare, one where a child has gone missing, while microscopically studying the impact of a family after such loss. We become the fly on the wall, experiencing their feelings but then 4 years after going missing Elly reappears, is she the plaster that the family need to recover? Is the family mended or are they still broken? The return leaves a chilling airiness hanging in the air, a tension that could be cut with a knife, you'll be gripped and needing more. Elly is a compelling literary thriller that's snappy and dynamic, which is fantastically translated and absolutely recommended for readers who enjoyed Lullaby, The Lovely Bones and The Girl in the Red Coat.
The nightmare of when Elly goes missing is the focus of this novel, one where the ripples are provided via multiple viewpoints; her sister and parents, one that's personal with an unreliable flare at times. I was mesmerised by the writing, as well as the thoughts of the inhabitants trapped within the pages. The allure of this domestic thriller intrigued me with its distorted type plotline, one that changed from point of views in a short choppy way that works - it kept me reading, the back and forth of the narratives coupled with the lyrical penmanship was quite breath-taking. The reader is given a glimpse of the surface events that occur before Elly's absence, then dives into the depths of the emotional aftermath, focusing on the unity and emotion of the family members left behind with a huge cloud of self guilt that follows above them. All that's left behind in this shell of a family is a distant father, a self loathing mother and the left over daughter that's holding them together. The first person point of views provide an emotive core of the story, enabling us to identify them while also, from the outside, seeing the hairline cracks in the once strong familial bonds as they live in a bubble of loss and unknowing.
Elly is a tale of every parents nightmare, one where a child has gone missing, while microscopically studying the impact of a family after such loss. We become the fly on the wall, experiencing their feelings but then 4 years after going missing Elly reappears, is she the plaster that the family need to recover? Is the family mended or are they still broken? The return leaves a chilling airiness hanging in the air, a tension that could be cut with a knife, you'll be gripped and needing more. Elly is a compelling literary thriller that's snappy and dynamic, which is fantastically translated and absolutely recommended for readers who enjoyed Lullaby, The Lovely Bones and The Girl in the Red Coat.
May 2, 2020
This is a strange little book. Reading it is a bit like being in an extended dream sequence, looping around from one character to another but not escaping the surreal feel. Elly disappears, Elly comes back, and we don't find out what happened to Elly until the very end of the book. Each very short chapter switches narrator, with the characters being Elly's sister, mother, father, Elly (in two incarnations), and a girl Elly's sister shares a hospital room with. We learn some backstory and some details about each of their lives, but only within the foggy dreamlike language.
The book is written entirely in the first person and entirely in the present tense. This adds to the uneasy sense of the book. Sentences are short and abrupt. I found it possible to ignore inconsistencies in the details given the general sense of oddness. The one thing that put me off was that even though the characters were speaking in their own voices, all of the voices sounded the same. The father occasionally used more sophisticated language, but this was also embedded in short, choppy sentences. When the perspective changed with a new chapter, Wetzel gave the reader clues quickly enough that it didn't take long to figure out who was speaking, but the reader would never have been able to tell by the style of speech.
Wetzel was able to create an atmosphere that engulfs the reader for the few hours it takes to read this novella. But the characters never differentiated enough to care about, and the promised "thriller" never emerged from the haze. The book was engaging for a short while, however.
The book is written entirely in the first person and entirely in the present tense. This adds to the uneasy sense of the book. Sentences are short and abrupt. I found it possible to ignore inconsistencies in the details given the general sense of oddness. The one thing that put me off was that even though the characters were speaking in their own voices, all of the voices sounded the same. The father occasionally used more sophisticated language, but this was also embedded in short, choppy sentences. When the perspective changed with a new chapter, Wetzel gave the reader clues quickly enough that it didn't take long to figure out who was speaking, but the reader would never have been able to tell by the style of speech.
Wetzel was able to create an atmosphere that engulfs the reader for the few hours it takes to read this novella. But the characters never differentiated enough to care about, and the promised "thriller" never emerged from the haze. The book was engaging for a short while, however.
August 4, 2020
This is Maike Wetzel’s 2018 novella about a missing child, first translated into English by Lyn Marven in 2020.
The plot is straightforward yet intriguing: a young girl goes missing at the age of eleven. At the age of fifteen, she is found and returns home: but how can anybody be sure that the returnee is the same girl who went missing in the first place? (I mean, sure, you could do a DNA test, but how could you bring yourself to require that to identify a child you raised for eleven years?)
Really, though, this novella is an extended reflection on how we all change as individuals over time, and how none of us are really the same people as others imagine us to be. The novella is structured in very short chapters (often only a couple of pages) with the narrator switching between all of the principle characters. The narrator is not explicitly stated, which—at least for me—lead to some gripping moments of re-evaluation as I realised half way through chapters that I had been misattributing them. The chapters are also non-linear, which is clearly a requirement of the plot, but also helps to emphasise the change in characters over time.
I found this gripping and thought-provoking.
Quote:
The plot is straightforward yet intriguing: a young girl goes missing at the age of eleven. At the age of fifteen, she is found and returns home: but how can anybody be sure that the returnee is the same girl who went missing in the first place? (I mean, sure, you could do a DNA test, but how could you bring yourself to require that to identify a child you raised for eleven years?)
Really, though, this novella is an extended reflection on how we all change as individuals over time, and how none of us are really the same people as others imagine us to be. The novella is structured in very short chapters (often only a couple of pages) with the narrator switching between all of the principle characters. The narrator is not explicitly stated, which—at least for me—lead to some gripping moments of re-evaluation as I realised half way through chapters that I had been misattributing them. The chapters are also non-linear, which is clearly a requirement of the plot, but also helps to emphasise the change in characters over time.
I found this gripping and thought-provoking.
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Silence is part of the family. It's hard to describe — I can't put my finger on it — because silence doesn't consist of saying nothing. My parents and I talk about this and that, but the truth falls through the cracks, down deep. No sentence catches it.
January 25, 2020
Huge thank you to @scribe_uk for sending me a proof copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I loved the style of writing here, and how wonderfully the prose was translated. That is incredibly hard to maintain, as with translated texts you often lose that raw feeling of emotion when it has been translated from the books native language.
The story itself I found intriguing, however I feel it lacked any completion at the end. I feel like it was a spiral of guessing games as to what the family is going through, and to what actually happened to Elly after all. The ending did have a chapter that had the potential to let us in a bit more, but I felt that seemed rather flat. Although, I’m not too sure if this was supposed to be intentional and that we are not to find out at all what has happened to Elly, or who she is now. The family are left in the dark, and therefore, so are we.
This was a very artistically put together story, and the writing was exceptional. However, the story confused me in places, and left me feeling a bit unsatisfied. I thought the family would “lash out” more, more chapters of where we see the stream of consciousness from them, let us truly immerse ourselves in the feelings of being hopeless and distraught when a child goes missing. This is why I gave ELLY a solid 3 stars, I felt like there was so much more that could’ve been embedded here.
I loved the style of writing here, and how wonderfully the prose was translated. That is incredibly hard to maintain, as with translated texts you often lose that raw feeling of emotion when it has been translated from the books native language.
The story itself I found intriguing, however I feel it lacked any completion at the end. I feel like it was a spiral of guessing games as to what the family is going through, and to what actually happened to Elly after all. The ending did have a chapter that had the potential to let us in a bit more, but I felt that seemed rather flat. Although, I’m not too sure if this was supposed to be intentional and that we are not to find out at all what has happened to Elly, or who she is now. The family are left in the dark, and therefore, so are we.
This was a very artistically put together story, and the writing was exceptional. However, the story confused me in places, and left me feeling a bit unsatisfied. I thought the family would “lash out” more, more chapters of where we see the stream of consciousness from them, let us truly immerse ourselves in the feelings of being hopeless and distraught when a child goes missing. This is why I gave ELLY a solid 3 stars, I felt like there was so much more that could’ve been embedded here.
March 29, 2020
Elly is a mystery & thriller novel written by Maike Wetzel and originally published in German. It’s been translated into English by Lyn Marven. It’s been scheduled to be come out on 09-April-2020, so keep an eye for it guys!
Elly is a gripping story about an 11-year old girl who just disappears out of the blue and without a trace. Now, when I read the blurb, I was quite excited to read the book as I had recently seen the Netflix documentary “The Disappearance of Madeline McCain” – here too a 3-year old little girl disappears without a trace but I have to admit the book wasn’t as gripping as claimed.
The interesting and even hurtful bit about this story was the trauma that the entire family had to endure because of the disappearance of a child. The author has brilliantly narrated the heart-wrenching feeling of each family member and how they chose to cope with this life changing incident. The story of Elly takes a turn for the worse when the child is found and returned to her home. Normally, it's a good thing when the child is found, but not in this case. This is when I’m hoping for the thriller bit of the novel to begin but I am left disappointed and the story is brought to an abrupt end.
It’s a short read, so I do suggest anyone who’s interested in picking up a hard and dark read. I rate this book 3 out of 5 bookmarks due to the lack of closure to the story.
Elly is a gripping story about an 11-year old girl who just disappears out of the blue and without a trace. Now, when I read the blurb, I was quite excited to read the book as I had recently seen the Netflix documentary “The Disappearance of Madeline McCain” – here too a 3-year old little girl disappears without a trace but I have to admit the book wasn’t as gripping as claimed.
The interesting and even hurtful bit about this story was the trauma that the entire family had to endure because of the disappearance of a child. The author has brilliantly narrated the heart-wrenching feeling of each family member and how they chose to cope with this life changing incident. The story of Elly takes a turn for the worse when the child is found and returned to her home. Normally, it's a good thing when the child is found, but not in this case. This is when I’m hoping for the thriller bit of the novel to begin but I am left disappointed and the story is brought to an abrupt end.
It’s a short read, so I do suggest anyone who’s interested in picking up a hard and dark read. I rate this book 3 out of 5 bookmarks due to the lack of closure to the story.
May 7, 2020
I read Elly by @maikewetzel in a matter of hours last Sunday. It was the perfect book to read with a cuppa whilst the rain seemed to pour non-stop and the kids were playing or having a nap.
Synopsis: Eleven-year-old Elly is missing. After an extensive police search she is presumed dead, and her family must learn to live with a gaping hole in their lives. Then, four years later, she reappears. But soon her parents and sister are plagued by doubts. Is this stranger really the same little girl who went missing? And if not, who is she?
I really loved that Elly was a thrilling story that was easy to read and wasn't overly complicated. Maike writes short, sharp sentences to keep you engaged and wanting more as you turn each page. The whole time I felt tension and anxiety building up as I read from the perspectives of her characters. It was emotional, stressful and full of grief and complicated relationships. It played out every parents worst nightmare. Not bad a for a book of around 130 pages.
The ending for me... well, without giving too much away, could have been more. I wasn't left unsatisfied but I definitely wanted more in the climax. I just remind myself that it was only 130 pages and for what it was, I enjoyed.
Thank you to the team at @scribe for sending me a copy of Elly to review. This book is available NOW!
Synopsis: Eleven-year-old Elly is missing. After an extensive police search she is presumed dead, and her family must learn to live with a gaping hole in their lives. Then, four years later, she reappears. But soon her parents and sister are plagued by doubts. Is this stranger really the same little girl who went missing? And if not, who is she?
I really loved that Elly was a thrilling story that was easy to read and wasn't overly complicated. Maike writes short, sharp sentences to keep you engaged and wanting more as you turn each page. The whole time I felt tension and anxiety building up as I read from the perspectives of her characters. It was emotional, stressful and full of grief and complicated relationships. It played out every parents worst nightmare. Not bad a for a book of around 130 pages.
The ending for me... well, without giving too much away, could have been more. I wasn't left unsatisfied but I definitely wanted more in the climax. I just remind myself that it was only 130 pages and for what it was, I enjoyed.
Thank you to the team at @scribe for sending me a copy of Elly to review. This book is available NOW!
May 17, 2020
Elly is an 11 year old girl who goes missing while on her way to a judo class. Four years later she has come back.
This story is not like other missing persons stories I have read, it is not a thriller or whodunit mystery, instead it focuses on each individual character and how they have been affected. I really wanted to like this book, there were a lot of positives about it. It was interesting to read all the different perspectives, I even made myself push past the writing style, which I was not a fan of. I almost put it down several times but after reading some other reviews, especially about getting a resolution at the end, that I kept going. I was honestly, extremely disappointed with the end, I didn't feel, as a reader, that I got any kind of resolution. I wasn't looking for a happy ending but the story just kind of ended and left me with so many questions. I appreciated being able to really get to know the characters, but I didn't care much about any of them. I felt no strong emotions through out the book, except maybe at the end, but as I mentioned, it still left me with so many questions. If you don't mind books that end abruptly and don't answer everything, then definitely give this book a shot. It just wasn't for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and Scribe UK for the ARC copy of this book.
This story is not like other missing persons stories I have read, it is not a thriller or whodunit mystery, instead it focuses on each individual character and how they have been affected. I really wanted to like this book, there were a lot of positives about it. It was interesting to read all the different perspectives, I even made myself push past the writing style, which I was not a fan of. I almost put it down several times but after reading some other reviews, especially about getting a resolution at the end, that I kept going. I was honestly, extremely disappointed with the end, I didn't feel, as a reader, that I got any kind of resolution. I wasn't looking for a happy ending but the story just kind of ended and left me with so many questions. I appreciated being able to really get to know the characters, but I didn't care much about any of them. I felt no strong emotions through out the book, except maybe at the end, but as I mentioned, it still left me with so many questions. If you don't mind books that end abruptly and don't answer everything, then definitely give this book a shot. It just wasn't for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and Scribe UK for the ARC copy of this book.
May 25, 2020
Quite an unsettling read and not at all what I was expecting. I knew it wasn’t a crime story but it’s also not really the ‘usual’ story about a family coming to terms with the abduction of their daughter. At the beginning it reminded me of books like Fever Dream where you are reading with a constant sense of discomfort, disorientation and foreboding. In this case you know Elly has already disappeared and you also know from the advertising material that she will come back, but there’s something else there beneath the surface. Unfortunately however I felt that this didn’t quite carry through to the end of the book (although elements remain). It is an interesting read. It is a bit different. In the end it didn’t quite come together for me, but it is also a very short read so I certainly wouldn’t want to discourage anyone from reading it. I also think it may be a better book than I am giving it credit for, that it will probably stay with me far longer than other books that I have rated higher, and that it may well be worth a second read in the future.
April 10, 2020
Elly is about an 11-year old girl who went missing. She is presumed dead by the police after getting no single trace of her disappearance. Then four years later, she returns. Her family is beyond ecstatic about her come back but it didn't last long. They soon start to have doubts about her. Is she the same Elly or do they welcome a random stranger in their family?
This book is written in multiple first person POVs and at first I had a hard time to tell them apart. But the author did great capturing the characters' grievances and emotions. I personally liked the prose-style writing in this book and it was translated beautifully as well. I would definitely read this book in German. The last chapter was intense which made me wish for more. I thought it ended abruptly which probably intentional but sadly it didn't work out for me. I still recommend this book if you're looking for a dark story you can read in one sitting.
This book is written in multiple first person POVs and at first I had a hard time to tell them apart. But the author did great capturing the characters' grievances and emotions. I personally liked the prose-style writing in this book and it was translated beautifully as well. I would definitely read this book in German. The last chapter was intense which made me wish for more. I thought it ended abruptly which probably intentional but sadly it didn't work out for me. I still recommend this book if you're looking for a dark story you can read in one sitting.
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September 14, 2020Book Bite for the Sunday Times: https://bit.ly/3bZsUeq
~This story is not my story. I'm not sure which one of us it belongs to. It's lying there in the street, it's sleeping in our house, and yet it's always one step ahead of me. I want to write it down to exorcise it, so I can catch my breath again...
I hold on to the story because nobody tells it. Silence is part of the family. It's hard to describe-I can't put my finger on it-because silence doesn't consist of saying nothing.~
~First moments are a matter of perspective. The beginning of the end.~
~We go round in a circle, telling stories of the loss of our children. I am the only one without a grave.~
~The practical thing about pills it they aren't drugs, they are still medicine. So the high feels like a cure.~
~It's as if I'd betrayed my sister with my thoughts, as if I'd brought her to it. But I didn't do anything. That's what my parents reproach themselves for: for not doing anything.~
~This story is not my story. I'm not sure which one of us it belongs to. It's lying there in the street, it's sleeping in our house, and yet it's always one step ahead of me. I want to write it down to exorcise it, so I can catch my breath again...
I hold on to the story because nobody tells it. Silence is part of the family. It's hard to describe-I can't put my finger on it-because silence doesn't consist of saying nothing.~
~First moments are a matter of perspective. The beginning of the end.~
~We go round in a circle, telling stories of the loss of our children. I am the only one without a grave.~
~The practical thing about pills it they aren't drugs, they are still medicine. So the high feels like a cure.~
~It's as if I'd betrayed my sister with my thoughts, as if I'd brought her to it. But I didn't do anything. That's what my parents reproach themselves for: for not doing anything.~
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