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The East German Police Girl
A young lad stealthily posts anti-regime posters up in a small East German town. It is 1955. The search for him leads to his innocent sister's unjust death. A young police lass - threatened with sexual abuse by a high-ranking officer from Berlin - seizes the opportunity to flee to the West. A ghastly female police informant is by implication, likened to Judas Iscariot.
Entangled with this is a police chief's bitterness and grief over the girl he has always loved, but who would never accept him.
Entangled with this is a police chief's bitterness and grief over the girl he has always loved, but who would never accept him.
256 pages, Paperback
Published May 26, 2022
8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 20, 2022
My review is on my website https://bookread2day.wordpress.com/20...
Let me start with telling you that The East German Girl is expertly written. I loved how the author has astonishingly used descriptions to take us all right at the scenes. It’s incredible I haven’t felt like this in a long time where an author has projected such a strong storyline, with the action pulling me right in.
I could feel the cold December weather during this time, with the gas fire being turned off just before going to bed.
I was gripped to this fascinating story where the characters had to use candles for light.
This story is full of police, and an agent a with code name. Uta is a young East German police girl. Bauss is Head of Border Police Unit who wears an ear piece. Joos is from State Police, Justice Commissioner.
There is sex interwoven into the story line. Bauss has sex with a young girl, who he gives his young lady tins of food and clothes, coupons and a little bit of money in exchange.
Christopher who is a signalman is having a stop and go affair with Greta . Her husband who she is divorced from, worked in a glass factory that made railway signal lamps.
A young fifteen year old boy once asked out the seventeen year old Uta police girl. There is an unsettling scene as Jools from State Police shoots the young boy.
Despite the havoc of the Second World War, most of the East Germans were Christian and the medieval ethics of hard work and obedience were still deeply engrained. Propriety ruled much of their lives, despite the straitened circumstances
Let me start with telling you that The East German Girl is expertly written. I loved how the author has astonishingly used descriptions to take us all right at the scenes. It’s incredible I haven’t felt like this in a long time where an author has projected such a strong storyline, with the action pulling me right in.
I could feel the cold December weather during this time, with the gas fire being turned off just before going to bed.
I was gripped to this fascinating story where the characters had to use candles for light.
This story is full of police, and an agent a with code name. Uta is a young East German police girl. Bauss is Head of Border Police Unit who wears an ear piece. Joos is from State Police, Justice Commissioner.
There is sex interwoven into the story line. Bauss has sex with a young girl, who he gives his young lady tins of food and clothes, coupons and a little bit of money in exchange.
Christopher who is a signalman is having a stop and go affair with Greta . Her husband who she is divorced from, worked in a glass factory that made railway signal lamps.
A young fifteen year old boy once asked out the seventeen year old Uta police girl. There is an unsettling scene as Jools from State Police shoots the young boy.
Despite the havoc of the Second World War, most of the East Germans were Christian and the medieval ethics of hard work and obedience were still deeply engrained. Propriety ruled much of their lives, despite the straitened circumstances
June 21, 2022
Thank you so much to literally PR for a copy of the book and netgalley as well. I don’t even really know where to begin with my review. I absolutely loved this book. I’m not even sure if I could pick out a favorite quote or favorite anything about this book, because I loved it so much. I’m defintely willing to buy a copy for my shelf or for a friend so I can support the author. This book intrigued me from the start and I honestly couldn’t put it down at all. The way the Author described things was just fantastic and I was sad when I finished the book. I didn’t want to put it down, but I guess now I’ll go reread it cause I loved it so much
November 15, 2022
This is a novel set in a small town in East Germany in the 1950s. The border is not exactly open, but still quite porous. The people are finding their places in a new Soviet society, pretending not to remember that only a decade ago they were embracing fascism. It is an interesting time.
The story centres around Uta, a young woman who is an officer in the border police - apparently a step up from the regular police but a step below the special police from Berlin. Uta is loyal but pragmatic; keeping the local peace is more important than slavish adherence to an ideology that few seem to believe in. But the local police is shattered when two agents from Berlin arrive on a secret mission. The tale that unfolds is one of sedition, corruption and greed.
There is clearly a good story in here, but the writing did not quite do it justice. The phrasing was stilted; the dialogue did not ring true, and too many of the characters were hard to tell apart. Sometimes their motivation was not clear, even when the plot was revealed. And the denouement felt like a bit of a damp squib.
I wish the novel, and especially the setting, could have been given a bit of a polish to make it sparkle.
The story centres around Uta, a young woman who is an officer in the border police - apparently a step up from the regular police but a step below the special police from Berlin. Uta is loyal but pragmatic; keeping the local peace is more important than slavish adherence to an ideology that few seem to believe in. But the local police is shattered when two agents from Berlin arrive on a secret mission. The tale that unfolds is one of sedition, corruption and greed.
There is clearly a good story in here, but the writing did not quite do it justice. The phrasing was stilted; the dialogue did not ring true, and too many of the characters were hard to tell apart. Sometimes their motivation was not clear, even when the plot was revealed. And the denouement felt like a bit of a damp squib.
I wish the novel, and especially the setting, could have been given a bit of a polish to make it sparkle.
June 16, 2022
When I read the blurb for this book - a story of love, sexual harassment, propaganda and grief - and I knew I had to read it. Thanks to the author and Literally Public Relations for the copy of this book.
I enjoyed the writing very much. There were some eloquent descriptions, some inventive descriptions and some outlandish descriptions and they were all totally appropriate, entertaining and inventive. I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions. I also had to reread certain passages to fully appreciate the wordiness. Natalia has a knack for constructing elaborate descriptions and analogies. All highly enjoyable.
The characterisation was good. The characters developed o er the book. Unfortunately, I found the narration a bit tricky as it flitted from one character to another and I kept getttjng two of the female characters mixed up. There were also a couple of incidents that I did not like at all but I wasn’t supposed to. Who likes it when a favourable character is killed unjustly? Certainly not me.
Overall I really enjoyed this story. I recommend it. I believe this is a debut novel and hoping that the author has a few more stories in them because I’d happily read it. This young author will be going places - if I have anything to say about it.
I enjoyed the writing very much. There were some eloquent descriptions, some inventive descriptions and some outlandish descriptions and they were all totally appropriate, entertaining and inventive. I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions. I also had to reread certain passages to fully appreciate the wordiness. Natalia has a knack for constructing elaborate descriptions and analogies. All highly enjoyable.
The characterisation was good. The characters developed o er the book. Unfortunately, I found the narration a bit tricky as it flitted from one character to another and I kept getttjng two of the female characters mixed up. There were also a couple of incidents that I did not like at all but I wasn’t supposed to. Who likes it when a favourable character is killed unjustly? Certainly not me.
Overall I really enjoyed this story. I recommend it. I believe this is a debut novel and hoping that the author has a few more stories in them because I’d happily read it. This young author will be going places - if I have anything to say about it.
February 5, 2024
Set in post war years in an East German town close to the border with West Germany this grimy novel deals with dirty broken people with war scared pasts. Nor is it particularly sympathetic to East Germany. The writing is reasonable and the author shows some good technical understanding of railway and police operations which give the book some substance. There are quite a few active characters and some time jumps which can cause confusion at first. There are also several semi-related stories running consecutively. The story involving criminals hunting for Nazi loot seemed a little confusing to me, although it is sort of wrapped up in the end. It is also this tale which introduces the police girl of the title and who becomes wrapped up in the multiple other strands of this story. As a historically based tale of mostly misery, seeking refuge, freedom and ultimately unfulfilled lives it works. It's not a bad read but I was left not entirely satisfied.
June 24, 2022
Many thanks to Helen at LiterallyPR for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. Such a lot going on in this book.
The books story is set in 1955. It is rather dark and very descriptive, containing a mixture of stories all rapped up and intertwined in the one main story.
Absolutely packed solid and to be honest this led to be a rather heavy read for me and I struggled reading in any large chunks. I had to take breathers often. That’s just me!
Overall a really good read. Stick with it, it’s worth it. Such a strong storyline with the descriptions taking you right there. Old dark times showing us just how the struggles were back then.
Good read !
Wow. Such a lot going on in this book.
The books story is set in 1955. It is rather dark and very descriptive, containing a mixture of stories all rapped up and intertwined in the one main story.
Absolutely packed solid and to be honest this led to be a rather heavy read for me and I struggled reading in any large chunks. I had to take breathers often. That’s just me!
Overall a really good read. Stick with it, it’s worth it. Such a strong storyline with the descriptions taking you right there. Old dark times showing us just how the struggles were back then.
Good read !
June 14, 2022
My thanks to the Author publisher's and NetGalley for providing me with a Paperback version of this book to read and honestly review.
Beautifully written with superb characters throughout this is a quality read. Atmospheric descriptive with a real feel for time and place, gripped me completely from first to last page. At times poignant and sad others laugh out loud funny, a thoroughly entertaining quirky little book. My only disappointment being I don't see how the Author can follow up on our clever feisty heroine and produce a sequel, maybe she will surprise me.
Totally recommended.
Beautifully written with superb characters throughout this is a quality read. Atmospheric descriptive with a real feel for time and place, gripped me completely from first to last page. At times poignant and sad others laugh out loud funny, a thoroughly entertaining quirky little book. My only disappointment being I don't see how the Author can follow up on our clever feisty heroine and produce a sequel, maybe she will surprise me.
Totally recommended.
June 23, 2022
Do you ever pick up a book and are blown away by how knowledgeable the author is? The East German Police Girl is a perfect example of that. The author's descriptions were so easy to read, but packed in so much information at the same time. I loved feeling like I was learning something.
The story line was expertly crafted. Once I was hooked, I couldn't put it down. It was such a fast and fun read.
Thank you to LiterallyPR for sending this novel my way!
The story line was expertly crafted. Once I was hooked, I couldn't put it down. It was such a fast and fun read.
Thank you to LiterallyPR for sending this novel my way!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews