The Wall Between by Jesper Bugge Kold
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*I received a copy through netgalley to review.

Phenomenal! Kold’s writing drew me in immediately. His descriptions are lush but concise and the result is an impression of a character you want to continue getting to know.

The story is of a son searching for and trying to get to know his father following his father’s death. In essence it is a simple family drama but Andreas’ father is former Stassi and he is searching for answers from people whose lives in East Berlin have led them to be cautious or even fearful of the truth.

Kold’s concise style keeps a tension going from start to finish but he still manages a lush style with meaningful philosophy, history, geography and psychology into the narrative and the result is artful. Characters are likeable and despicable in their humanity which gives the story a believable grit. The Wall becomes a metaphor for the barriers between people and each other as well as between generations due to time and distance.
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As an aside, I really enjoy finding translated books to read even knowing that aspects of the style and language are altered in translation. There is a universality to books and ideas because it feels like a conversation across time and space.