Siblings

I read the Penguin Modern Classics edition. Don't believe the hype on the cover - it is not sexy, not rigorous, not worrying. I doubt that the person who said this actually read the book. An ordinary tale not well written and shallow .

My favourite book. I really like the history ,Cold War, East and West..

From an East German perspective, Brigitte writes about 'Republikflucht' of one brother and another threatening to also defect from the German Democratic Republic. Easy to do when Berlin had an open border between East and West. The author's brother actually did defect to West Berlin and then the FRG. These defectors were regarded as traitors since the GDR had paid for their education, and many professionals were lured away by high salaries in West Berlin and the FRG. Things were by no means perfect on the GDR, but people fleeing the republic could only make matters worse.

An excellent semi autobiographical novel that captures the atmosphere of the early days of the GDR. A moving portrayal of inter family conflicts arising between those that chose to stay in the GDR to build a new society, and those that sought a life in the West. Recommended reading.