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Irretrievably Broken
Irretrievably Broken is the haunting, funny, and heart-breaking account of German ex-patriots Nora, Ruth, and Bettina Adler. The plot takes us across the U.S, to the bush country of Canada, and to a cold case murder scene in Germany as this family deals with diversity and racism. The novel is populated with unforgettable characters in a candid exploration of ethnicity and race. Nora is obsessed with a husband she's about to divorce and consumed with guilt over a friend she may have caused harm; Ruth is the thorn in Nora's side that will not let her descend into grief; and 12-year-old Bettina, the child of a black African-American and a white German, is devastated over the death of her mother and the neglect of her father. In the end, a startling confession and a surprising discovery connect all and heal old wounds. IRRETRIEVABLY BROKEN is a novel of love and loss, of guilt and forgiveness, of family and friendship. Jacket art by Kellie von Beck www.kellievonbeck.com
502 pages, Paperback
First published May 27, 2008
2 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Irma Fritz
23 books45 followersIrma Fritz grew up in a German town whose name you wouldn’t be able to pronounce. She studied writing at California State University at Los Angeles and worked at Hollywood PR agencies. As a young press agent, she witnessed James Stewart’s grand entrance on an elephant at an L.A. Zoo fundraiser; shared an Orange Julius with Neil Diamond at a Hollywood carwash, and turned down Alex Trebek’s dinner invitation.
Irma bicycled across the U.S. and lived in the Canadian bush country. Her serendipitous life journey took her to Seattle where a friend tricked her into a date with the handsome, young man who became her husband.
A writer of novels and short stories, Irma’s latest novel, “When There Was No Moon,” won first place in the Pacific Northwest Writers Association Unpublished Literary Novel Contest and Nancy Pearl Finalist Best Book Literary or Mainstream.
Irma bicycled across the U.S. and lived in the Canadian bush country. Her serendipitous life journey took her to Seattle where a friend tricked her into a date with the handsome, young man who became her husband.
A writer of novels and short stories, Irma’s latest novel, “When There Was No Moon,” won first place in the Pacific Northwest Writers Association Unpublished Literary Novel Contest and Nancy Pearl Finalist Best Book Literary or Mainstream.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 22, 2009
Irretrievably Broken: By Irma Fritz
Reviewed by Fran Lewis
A circle has no beginning and no end and yet this story comes full circle in its entirety. From 1938 where the story truly begins and the horrors faced by many during the Second World War, this book helps to remind us of events that we cannot and will not ever forget.
This is a novel comprised of many intricate layers of emotions and individual stories. Each character has his/her own inner conflicts to resolve and each character must come to grips with the secrets, lies and half-truths that haunt them and those closest to them. Their pasts, presents and futures so tightly linked together will forever make the events that unfold in this ground breaking novel by Irma Fritz Irretrievably Broken.
Nora, stubborn, headstrong and yet lonely and vulnerable is once married to a man who she thought was the right one for her. Max, different from her is his ideals and goals, is striving to become and actor, but fails, or does he?
Memories of Max and her their live together flood Nora’s dreams as she tries to put the pieces of a puzzle so full of jagged edges and empty spaces that the entire picture does not become clear until the unexpected and revealing epilogue.
Working in a nursery, independent landscaper and then as an Information Software Engineer, and horticulturist, Nora did all she could do to create a life with was truly elusive to her as he became.
Ruth, Nora’s mother born of German descent had high hopes for Nora and is disappointed in her choices and feels that she could have done better in life. She is also sad that she has no desire to have a family of her nor does she think she ever will. Ruth, who lived through and had to deal with the horrors that befell the Jewish people and her own during the Second World War, has secrets that she does not want to tell and cannot bear to remember.
Stoic, strong willed and forever trying to find the truth behind the night that forever changed her life and haunt her memories, Ruth embarks on a journey back into her past when the German police came to her house and questioned her actions when she was only thirteen years old.
Recounting the past when the Nazi’s came and murdered her best friends parents in cold blood and risking everything to protect and hide her from the same fate, Ruth has to come to grips with her own actions and the truths behind that night.
Frieda, her best friend and confidant whose family was brutally murdered by the Nazi’s must learn to understand, and deal with the nightmares that haunt not only her but also Ruth and have forever tainted their futures.
Frieda also has to come full circle with the daunting memories that lay hidden in the deep recess of her mind and the reality of what really happened causing her family’s deaths and those of many close to her. Hoping to finally find answers and having those responsible brought to justice leads her on journey that will not only reveal the truth but also enlighten her in so many other ways.
Klaus, Ruth’s brother is the primary catalyst that controlled the events and the lives of Nora, Ruth and Frieda without their knowledge. Manipulating, monitoring and outlining a plan for Nora to experience a journey from her home all the way to Canada and more, he tries to teach her three lessons related to surviving alone using the land as her guide. It teaches you what it is, who you are and who others are. These lessons not only refer to the land but to those closest to her and the others too.
Frieda’s knowledge that her parents were murdered and the need for justice is her primary force for going forward and hoping to state her case when she and Ruth are in Washington and speak as witnesses and survivors at the Holocaust Museum.
Finally, we have Bettina, Mary, Adam and Nandina his wife who is Bettina’s mother. Bettina is Nora’s niece and Adam’s daughter who is born of German and African America descent. Bettina a twelve-year-old child who is sent to live with her aunt and her grandmother because her father is too busy dealing with a new life with someone else.
Embarking on a cross country trip starting in Seattle and through many states and remembering past events that happened in Canada and Germany this multi- racial family must learn to find their family’s roots, and hopefully learn to bond and understand the past and forgive those who caused their pain.
Nora, Ruth, Frieda and Nora’s friend Mary who joins the group due to her ties to Bettina’s mother Nandina and her father, helps create a mix of sadness, humor and truths that will forever touch the heart of the reader.
Their primary goal is to hear both Frieda and Ruth speak at the Holocaust Museum and hopefully be able to relate to those present the horrific events of the past as they remember them. Added to the mix is Ruth’s brother Klaus who startling revelations at this meeting change the way Frieda will feel about him forever.
Frieda then goes back to her homeland with everyone and goes to her old house which she walks through and tries to envision the last moments of her parent’s lives, the lives of those who lived there after and what happened to the bodies of her parents when she finds the gold wedding rings in her old jewelry box left behind.
Frieda, Nora, Ruth, Bettina, Mary and Klaus learn more hard lessons as a result of what happens when Frieda is presented with the deed and keys to her home in Germany and the behavior of those who are present.
You must read this novel to truly understand the impact of what this amazing author has successfully written. We must remember that the Holocaust did happen-it destroyed many lives in many races, nationalities and more.
Thank you Irma Fritz for the honor of reading your story and one that after reading the ending is still in many cases Irretrievably Broken for Nora, Ruth, Frieda, Klaus and more.
This is a book that reminds us that forgiveness does not come easily and without a price. It is truly about a family that finds understanding and each other as result of their shared lives and experiences.
Fran Lewis: reviewer
I give this book FIVE GOLDEN STARS
Reviewed by Fran Lewis
A circle has no beginning and no end and yet this story comes full circle in its entirety. From 1938 where the story truly begins and the horrors faced by many during the Second World War, this book helps to remind us of events that we cannot and will not ever forget.
This is a novel comprised of many intricate layers of emotions and individual stories. Each character has his/her own inner conflicts to resolve and each character must come to grips with the secrets, lies and half-truths that haunt them and those closest to them. Their pasts, presents and futures so tightly linked together will forever make the events that unfold in this ground breaking novel by Irma Fritz Irretrievably Broken.
Nora, stubborn, headstrong and yet lonely and vulnerable is once married to a man who she thought was the right one for her. Max, different from her is his ideals and goals, is striving to become and actor, but fails, or does he?
Memories of Max and her their live together flood Nora’s dreams as she tries to put the pieces of a puzzle so full of jagged edges and empty spaces that the entire picture does not become clear until the unexpected and revealing epilogue.
Working in a nursery, independent landscaper and then as an Information Software Engineer, and horticulturist, Nora did all she could do to create a life with was truly elusive to her as he became.
Ruth, Nora’s mother born of German descent had high hopes for Nora and is disappointed in her choices and feels that she could have done better in life. She is also sad that she has no desire to have a family of her nor does she think she ever will. Ruth, who lived through and had to deal with the horrors that befell the Jewish people and her own during the Second World War, has secrets that she does not want to tell and cannot bear to remember.
Stoic, strong willed and forever trying to find the truth behind the night that forever changed her life and haunt her memories, Ruth embarks on a journey back into her past when the German police came to her house and questioned her actions when she was only thirteen years old.
Recounting the past when the Nazi’s came and murdered her best friends parents in cold blood and risking everything to protect and hide her from the same fate, Ruth has to come to grips with her own actions and the truths behind that night.
Frieda, her best friend and confidant whose family was brutally murdered by the Nazi’s must learn to understand, and deal with the nightmares that haunt not only her but also Ruth and have forever tainted their futures.
Frieda also has to come full circle with the daunting memories that lay hidden in the deep recess of her mind and the reality of what really happened causing her family’s deaths and those of many close to her. Hoping to finally find answers and having those responsible brought to justice leads her on journey that will not only reveal the truth but also enlighten her in so many other ways.
Klaus, Ruth’s brother is the primary catalyst that controlled the events and the lives of Nora, Ruth and Frieda without their knowledge. Manipulating, monitoring and outlining a plan for Nora to experience a journey from her home all the way to Canada and more, he tries to teach her three lessons related to surviving alone using the land as her guide. It teaches you what it is, who you are and who others are. These lessons not only refer to the land but to those closest to her and the others too.
Frieda’s knowledge that her parents were murdered and the need for justice is her primary force for going forward and hoping to state her case when she and Ruth are in Washington and speak as witnesses and survivors at the Holocaust Museum.
Finally, we have Bettina, Mary, Adam and Nandina his wife who is Bettina’s mother. Bettina is Nora’s niece and Adam’s daughter who is born of German and African America descent. Bettina a twelve-year-old child who is sent to live with her aunt and her grandmother because her father is too busy dealing with a new life with someone else.
Embarking on a cross country trip starting in Seattle and through many states and remembering past events that happened in Canada and Germany this multi- racial family must learn to find their family’s roots, and hopefully learn to bond and understand the past and forgive those who caused their pain.
Nora, Ruth, Frieda and Nora’s friend Mary who joins the group due to her ties to Bettina’s mother Nandina and her father, helps create a mix of sadness, humor and truths that will forever touch the heart of the reader.
Their primary goal is to hear both Frieda and Ruth speak at the Holocaust Museum and hopefully be able to relate to those present the horrific events of the past as they remember them. Added to the mix is Ruth’s brother Klaus who startling revelations at this meeting change the way Frieda will feel about him forever.
Frieda then goes back to her homeland with everyone and goes to her old house which she walks through and tries to envision the last moments of her parent’s lives, the lives of those who lived there after and what happened to the bodies of her parents when she finds the gold wedding rings in her old jewelry box left behind.
Frieda, Nora, Ruth, Bettina, Mary and Klaus learn more hard lessons as a result of what happens when Frieda is presented with the deed and keys to her home in Germany and the behavior of those who are present.
You must read this novel to truly understand the impact of what this amazing author has successfully written. We must remember that the Holocaust did happen-it destroyed many lives in many races, nationalities and more.
Thank you Irma Fritz for the honor of reading your story and one that after reading the ending is still in many cases Irretrievably Broken for Nora, Ruth, Frieda, Klaus and more.
This is a book that reminds us that forgiveness does not come easily and without a price. It is truly about a family that finds understanding and each other as result of their shared lives and experiences.
Fran Lewis: reviewer
I give this book FIVE GOLDEN STARS
June 4, 2009
Irretrievably Broken
By Irma Fritz
ISBN:978-14400452307
Irma Fritz has taken all the frailties of the human spirit and woven them into a story that pulls the reader into the lives of Nora, Ruth, Bettina, Mary and others.
Nora, Ruth and Bettina the twelve year old niece and granddaughter who is going on thirty set off on a cross country trip. Even though it is a vaction of sorts, it becomes a trip down memory lane. A Trip which takes the women to places in their minds that have not been traveled for many years.
Nora relives her now defunct marriage - her mother Ruth comes to terms with a murder witnessed as a child in Nazi Germany. Bettina the twelve year old learns life's lessons and the fact that life is always just life. That it is what one choses to do with their life that matters, no matter what is thrown at them.
Irma interwined these women's lives with those they come in contact with on their journey. They learn forgivness of self and others - tolerance and the true meaning of loving- especially one's self.
This is a five star book about the human spirit.
Yvonne Mason, Author
By Irma Fritz
ISBN:978-14400452307
Irma Fritz has taken all the frailties of the human spirit and woven them into a story that pulls the reader into the lives of Nora, Ruth, Bettina, Mary and others.
Nora, Ruth and Bettina the twelve year old niece and granddaughter who is going on thirty set off on a cross country trip. Even though it is a vaction of sorts, it becomes a trip down memory lane. A Trip which takes the women to places in their minds that have not been traveled for many years.
Nora relives her now defunct marriage - her mother Ruth comes to terms with a murder witnessed as a child in Nazi Germany. Bettina the twelve year old learns life's lessons and the fact that life is always just life. That it is what one choses to do with their life that matters, no matter what is thrown at them.
Irma interwined these women's lives with those they come in contact with on their journey. They learn forgivness of self and others - tolerance and the true meaning of loving- especially one's self.
This is a five star book about the human spirit.
Yvonne Mason, Author
October 2, 2009
Irma Fritz's "Irretrievably Broken" is an intimate portrait of the main character, Nora, and complicated characters whose family ties bring them together for a cross-country trip in which complex interrelationships are re-examined or develop. The prologue led me to think the story was going to go in one direction--Nora's romantic attachment to Max, her ex-husband. This subplot orbits around the story that develops when Nora's mulatto niece, Bettina, arrives from Europe after losing one parent, and when Ruth, Nora's mother, moves the story into a unique cross-generational family drama that takes us across the country, into Canada and, eventually in flashback, to Europe.
Nora carries us into the story through a series of flashbacks to her life with her unfaithful husband Max, a failed actor. The author seamlessly weaves past and present, folding scenes into each other with such ease that, like the character, I felt like I was living in both present and past simultaneously--as if I was having the flashback. I really appreciate having that experience and envy the author's skill at rendering it.
Also, the writer's attention to detail creates credible scenes and puts me right in the moment. The main character Nora, a computer programmer who named her cats Dotcom and Dotorg, has an encyclopedic knowledge of botanical terms that boggles the mind.
As for characters, once you've met them and spent a little time with them, you can read the dialogue without attribution and know who is talking. This is not easy to achieve and Ms. Fritz accomplishes it skillfully.
Just when I thought the story told in present time was about Nora and her difficulties raising her European niece, Nora's authoritarian mother, Ruth, folds into the equation and they take a cross-country trip to visit friends and family. During the ride, Ruth takes us into an incredible and personal Holocaust story about her childhood in Germany. I don't want to give that story away, except to say it really got to me. Nazi horrors told through the eyes of a child--and these are well executed (no pun)--make me literally shudder. The author creates tension by revealing the horror in small doses and by having Ruth's daughter and great niece (the latter imbued with the pester power of a twelve-year-old) beg for more.
On the flip side, the multiplicity of characters (some speaking German, some speaking Spanish) and the different locations and situations introduced occasionally left me rudderless. At times, there is too much chatter between the characters. However, Fritz ties it all together. However, I have to admit that I am biased. I would normally not read a book like this. It's a tribute to the author that she could pull me in and hold me.
The story takes an interesting twist that I didn't see coming and, again, hats off to author Fritz.
This ambitious, cross-generational, interracial, multicultural story is so well realized that it's hard to believe the author's statement that the characters are fictional. If they are, this is one creative mind at work.
Nora carries us into the story through a series of flashbacks to her life with her unfaithful husband Max, a failed actor. The author seamlessly weaves past and present, folding scenes into each other with such ease that, like the character, I felt like I was living in both present and past simultaneously--as if I was having the flashback. I really appreciate having that experience and envy the author's skill at rendering it.
Also, the writer's attention to detail creates credible scenes and puts me right in the moment. The main character Nora, a computer programmer who named her cats Dotcom and Dotorg, has an encyclopedic knowledge of botanical terms that boggles the mind.
As for characters, once you've met them and spent a little time with them, you can read the dialogue without attribution and know who is talking. This is not easy to achieve and Ms. Fritz accomplishes it skillfully.
Just when I thought the story told in present time was about Nora and her difficulties raising her European niece, Nora's authoritarian mother, Ruth, folds into the equation and they take a cross-country trip to visit friends and family. During the ride, Ruth takes us into an incredible and personal Holocaust story about her childhood in Germany. I don't want to give that story away, except to say it really got to me. Nazi horrors told through the eyes of a child--and these are well executed (no pun)--make me literally shudder. The author creates tension by revealing the horror in small doses and by having Ruth's daughter and great niece (the latter imbued with the pester power of a twelve-year-old) beg for more.
On the flip side, the multiplicity of characters (some speaking German, some speaking Spanish) and the different locations and situations introduced occasionally left me rudderless. At times, there is too much chatter between the characters. However, Fritz ties it all together. However, I have to admit that I am biased. I would normally not read a book like this. It's a tribute to the author that she could pull me in and hold me.
The story takes an interesting twist that I didn't see coming and, again, hats off to author Fritz.
This ambitious, cross-generational, interracial, multicultural story is so well realized that it's hard to believe the author's statement that the characters are fictional. If they are, this is one creative mind at work.
February 19, 2012
Okay, this is not a book for men. This is 100% dedicated to women. With that said, I really did enjoy the overly descriptive adjectives the author has truly mastered. She provides the reader with every little detail one can possible imagine. At times, it is a bit overwhelming but sincere.
I did not get caught-up in the different cultural clashes most reviewers have alluded to. I was following the story and very interested in how everything would come together with the past, present and future for Ruth, Nora, and Bettina.
The author does a brilliant job in meshing multiple characters and their interactions from Nazi Germany to present and how the past keeps guiding them on a trip across the US and onto to Germany in an attempt to let the past be fully embraced and accepted, whether it was good or bad.
The story lost me in Book IV, chapter 4. Up until then, the pace was well planned and one could feel the story coming together, but then it disappeared. This is where the descriptions became too overbearing and overshadowed the various stories we were following. The end became very anti-climatic.
As I stated earlier, this a book for readers who love being enmeshed with feelings and descritptions.
I did not get caught-up in the different cultural clashes most reviewers have alluded to. I was following the story and very interested in how everything would come together with the past, present and future for Ruth, Nora, and Bettina.
The author does a brilliant job in meshing multiple characters and their interactions from Nazi Germany to present and how the past keeps guiding them on a trip across the US and onto to Germany in an attempt to let the past be fully embraced and accepted, whether it was good or bad.
The story lost me in Book IV, chapter 4. Up until then, the pace was well planned and one could feel the story coming together, but then it disappeared. This is where the descriptions became too overbearing and overshadowed the various stories we were following. The end became very anti-climatic.
As I stated earlier, this a book for readers who love being enmeshed with feelings and descritptions.
May 5, 2013
Fritz masterfully weaves an intricate tale of family with her endless cast of characters. As Nora embarks on a cross-country road trip with her mother and niece, the reader is treated to several stories within the main story, stories that leave the reader feeling as though they are floating down a meandering river of stunning lyrical prose. "She reflected on how harsh life was without this ecstasy of skin on skin" is just a taste of how the author has mastered the use of simple words. This story touched my heart - well worth the read.
March 24, 2009
Of all the books I’ve read over the years, Irretrievably Broken is one of the few that has made me really stop and think about my life, both past and present.
The story starts out with a mother (Ruth), her daughter (Nora) and her granddaughter (Bettina) taking a cross-country trip from Seattle to DC. They stop along the way to pick up an old friend (Mary).
Ruth is of German descent and lived through the Holocaust. During her childhood she befriended a girl (Frieda) who was Jewish and helped her escape sure death at the hands of the Nazis.
Nora grew up during the Viet Nam War with its protests of which she became a participant in. After college she took a summer off to travel around Canada, living off the land.
Bettina is the daughter of Ruth’s son who fell in love with and married an African American woman. They moved to Germany and when Bettina’s mother died she came to America to live with her Aunt Nora.
Mary is an old friend of Bettina’s mother and father as well as Nora.
These are the characters. All have deep secrets that have been kept for years. These secrets are revealed throughout the trip. The stories about Ruth living in Germany during WWII are heart wrenching. She talks about how she rescued Frieda and at what expense it was to her as well as her brother who was in love with and planned to someday marry Frieda. Nora reveals the hardships of living off the land and how she was rescued by an Indian (Max) after a bear approached her. Her stories of Max becoming her soul mate, their hardships, marriage and finally divorce are painfully beautiful. Bettina is a lost young girl looking for family and family connections. Her hopes and dreams of finding at least one relative from her mother’s side of the family will bring you to tears. And then there is Mary. She joins up with the trio with plans to continue on to Germany to meet up with Bettina’s father Adam. Mary has a secret too but doesn’t want to disclose it to anyone other than Adam.
This book has taught me that life is like a chain. Everyone we meet becomes a link in our chain. Some links may be weak, but the strong ones keep the chain from breaking. And as memories and secrets are shared with those strong links, they become even stronger.
This is a wonderful book that I highly recommend.
The story starts out with a mother (Ruth), her daughter (Nora) and her granddaughter (Bettina) taking a cross-country trip from Seattle to DC. They stop along the way to pick up an old friend (Mary).
Ruth is of German descent and lived through the Holocaust. During her childhood she befriended a girl (Frieda) who was Jewish and helped her escape sure death at the hands of the Nazis.
Nora grew up during the Viet Nam War with its protests of which she became a participant in. After college she took a summer off to travel around Canada, living off the land.
Bettina is the daughter of Ruth’s son who fell in love with and married an African American woman. They moved to Germany and when Bettina’s mother died she came to America to live with her Aunt Nora.
Mary is an old friend of Bettina’s mother and father as well as Nora.
These are the characters. All have deep secrets that have been kept for years. These secrets are revealed throughout the trip. The stories about Ruth living in Germany during WWII are heart wrenching. She talks about how she rescued Frieda and at what expense it was to her as well as her brother who was in love with and planned to someday marry Frieda. Nora reveals the hardships of living off the land and how she was rescued by an Indian (Max) after a bear approached her. Her stories of Max becoming her soul mate, their hardships, marriage and finally divorce are painfully beautiful. Bettina is a lost young girl looking for family and family connections. Her hopes and dreams of finding at least one relative from her mother’s side of the family will bring you to tears. And then there is Mary. She joins up with the trio with plans to continue on to Germany to meet up with Bettina’s father Adam. Mary has a secret too but doesn’t want to disclose it to anyone other than Adam.
This book has taught me that life is like a chain. Everyone we meet becomes a link in our chain. Some links may be weak, but the strong ones keep the chain from breaking. And as memories and secrets are shared with those strong links, they become even stronger.
This is a wonderful book that I highly recommend.
November 25, 2012
Fritz is creative and brilliant with her ambitious first novel that depicts the diverse and multicultural backgrounds of the three women, interspersed with racism, murder and life-altering moments. The heartaches and haunting events that Nora, Ruth and Bettina have witnessed are audaciously portrayed, with no descriptive limits. She does so with an astuteness that is not compromised in any manner.
Fritz has woven a tapestry that is profound and compelling within the pages of Irretrievably Broken. The threads are often filled with extremely taut and dark images. Yet, those images tell the stories of the three primary characters whose lives eventually connect into one foundation. Throughout the varied journeys taken on the road trip (and there are several journeys), one underlying theme is prevalent and strong, that of familial ties.
Irretrievably Broken is a story filled with many layers, and bounces back and forth from America, Canada, and Europe, with skillful prose and word paintings. Depictions of daily life and varied cultural aspects are abundant, and filled with minute details.
Holocaust/Shoah fiction often veers from the intensity and historical depth that occurred during those years of adversity and bleakness. Irretrievably Broken, though, does not sweeten or make light of the Holocaust/Shoah in any aspect. That is the brilliance of Irma Fritz’s writing. She blends a story of love and loss, family and friendship, secrets and unbearable burdens, repentance and forgiveness, and nature and survival with acute, shocking and compelling prose. I am extremely impressed with her excellent novel.
Fritz has woven a tapestry that is profound and compelling within the pages of Irretrievably Broken. The threads are often filled with extremely taut and dark images. Yet, those images tell the stories of the three primary characters whose lives eventually connect into one foundation. Throughout the varied journeys taken on the road trip (and there are several journeys), one underlying theme is prevalent and strong, that of familial ties.
Irretrievably Broken is a story filled with many layers, and bounces back and forth from America, Canada, and Europe, with skillful prose and word paintings. Depictions of daily life and varied cultural aspects are abundant, and filled with minute details.
Holocaust/Shoah fiction often veers from the intensity and historical depth that occurred during those years of adversity and bleakness. Irretrievably Broken, though, does not sweeten or make light of the Holocaust/Shoah in any aspect. That is the brilliance of Irma Fritz’s writing. She blends a story of love and loss, family and friendship, secrets and unbearable burdens, repentance and forgiveness, and nature and survival with acute, shocking and compelling prose. I am extremely impressed with her excellent novel.
January 16, 2009
Irma Fritz’s first novel is ambitious in scope – and delivers. A cross-country road trip - embarked upon by the protagonist, her mother and her niece - serves as the backdrop for exploring timely and timeless issues of race, class, violence and personal tragedies. On the journey, they reconnect with characters whose unforgettable stories touch and sometimes intermingle with each other. Their secrets – haunting, sometimes shocking, and unflinchingly honest - unfold in layers. Ultimately, what is Irretrievably Broken? And when do we know?
Ms. Fritz’s character development is flawless - they come alive and we want to know them. This is especially true of Nora and Ruth, the two main characters, but the entire cast is compelling. Since they all are exceedingly different in both background and personality, I am duly impressed by the author’s skill.
I believe this is an important book. I think it would be a great selection for Reading Groups. Due to its multicultural, multigenerational perspectives, there would be much to discuss.
Ms. Fritz’s character development is flawless - they come alive and we want to know them. This is especially true of Nora and Ruth, the two main characters, but the entire cast is compelling. Since they all are exceedingly different in both background and personality, I am duly impressed by the author’s skill.
I believe this is an important book. I think it would be a great selection for Reading Groups. Due to its multicultural, multigenerational perspectives, there would be much to discuss.
November 7, 2015
Sasha is drawn into another unwanted case.
She's not a criminal lawyer, but the client is innocent. Yeah, she knows that's what they all say.
This time her gut tells her that it's true. A tangle of intrigue and a dark secret that needs to stay buried is the cause of two horrible murders. It's obviously the husband each time, but Sasha can't believe that's true.
Connelly has a new job. There's a story behind it but he can't tell Sasha what it is. Will she leave everything she loves to come with him when he leaves?
I recommend this to anyone who loves a legal mystery
She's not a criminal lawyer, but the client is innocent. Yeah, she knows that's what they all say.
This time her gut tells her that it's true. A tangle of intrigue and a dark secret that needs to stay buried is the cause of two horrible murders. It's obviously the husband each time, but Sasha can't believe that's true.
Connelly has a new job. There's a story behind it but he can't tell Sasha what it is. Will she leave everything she loves to come with him when he leaves?
I recommend this to anyone who loves a legal mystery
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews