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The Silence In Between
- Author
- Josie Ferguson
- Narrator
- Rosina Aichner, Josie Ferguson
- Publisher
- Transworld
- Publish Date
- 20 June 2024
- Run Time
- 10 hours 30 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
- Genre
- Historical fiction, Second World War fiction, Narrative theme: love / relationships, Narrative theme: coming of age, Narrative theme: social issues / social problems, Narrative theme: politics / economics
- Rating
- 5.0 (1 review)
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What to expect
Brought to you by Penguin.
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES DEBUT FICTION PRIZE 2024
The Silence in Between is a historical novel based in Berlin in 1961 and during the Second World War. Lisette lives in East Berlin but brings her new-born baby to a hospital in West Berlin. Under doctor's orders, she goes home to rest, leaving the baby in the care of the hospital. But overnight the border between East and West closes, slicing the city - and the world - in two. With a city in chaos and armed guards ordered to shoot anyone who tries to cross, her situation is desperate. Lisette's teenage daughter, Elly, has always struggled to understand the distance between herself and her mother. Both live for music but while Elly hears notes surrounding every person she meets, for her mother - once a talented pianist - the world has gone silent. Perhaps Elly can do something to bridge the gap between them. What begins as the flicker of an idea turns into a daring plan to escape East Berlin, find her baby brother, and bring him home....
Featuring music composed by Carl-Michael Bonde.
©2024 Josie Ferguson (P)2024 Penguin Audio
Critics Review
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A compelling debut . . . The Silence in Between is a haunting and compassionate account of war’s legacy, the atrocities inflicted on ordinary German women and their extraordinary resilience
Observer
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A thoughtful and moving debut ... Rooted in real stories, The Silence in Between is a reminder of how seismic political events shape ordinary lives
Independent, Best historical fiction books of 2024
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A strong, emotionally resonant debut full of music and menace
Mail on Sunday
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A hauntingly beautiful exploration of love, family and societal unrest all set against the backdrop of the Berlin Wall . . . a poignant and heartfelt story that eloquently captures the resilience of the human spirit
Glamour
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A confident debut with an original premise
Sunday Times
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A captivating, tense portrayal of desperation, fortitude and courage
Herald
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A tautly plotted, deeply involving novel that packs a real emotional punch … I can't recommend this novel highly enough
Laura Barnett, author of The Versions of Us
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A quietly powerful novel about lives altered by a seismic historical moment
Fife Today
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A gut-wrenching but beautiful novel about love, family, resilience and music
Culturefly
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A powerful story of family, hope and generational narratives, beautifully told
My Weekly
User Reviews
Book 5.0
Narration 5.0
-
5.0 5.0
So well read bybthe narrator, and a really moving story. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
ClareR 2024-07-13
Details
- Author
- Josie Ferguson
- Narrator
- Rosina Aichner, Josie Ferguson
- Duration
- 10 hours 30 minutes
- Release Date
- 20 June 2024
- ISBN
- 9781529923872
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Transworld
- Genre
- Historical fiction, Second World War fiction, Narrative theme: love / relationships, Narrative theme: coming of age, Narrative theme: social issues / social problems, Narrative theme: politics / economics
- Rating
- 5.0(1 review)
- Narration
- 5.0(1 review)
Synopsis
Brought to you by Penguin.SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES DEBUT FICTION PRIZE 2024The Silence in Between is a historical novel based in Berlin in 1961 and during the Second World War. Lisette lives in East Berlin but brings her new-born baby to a hospital in West Berlin. Under doctor's orders, she goes home to rest, leaving the baby in the care of the hospital. But overnight the border between East and West closes, slicing the city - and the world - in two. With a city in chaos and armed guards ordered to shoot anyone who tries to cross, her situation is desperate. Lisette's teenage daughter, Elly, has always struggled to understand the distance between herself and her mother. Both live for music but while Elly hears notes surrounding every person she meets, for her mother - once a talented pianist - the world has gone silent. Perhaps Elly can do something to bridge the gap between them. What begins as the flicker of an idea turns into a daring plan to escape East Berlin, find her baby brother, and bring him home....Featuring music composed by Carl-Michael Bonde.©2024 Josie Ferguson (P)2024 Penguin Audio
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