Berliners

September 12, 2022
Fraternal twins Peter and Rudi, 15, struggle to maintain their relationship while navigating opposing ideals in this sprawling Cold War–set novel by Stamper (A Cloud of Outrageous Blue). In East Berlin in April 1961, the boys lead a tense co-existence with their unhappily married parents and paternal great-grandmother. “Golden boy” Peter is the leader of the siblings’ youth Communist group, though he privately questions the party’s motives. Meanwhile, quiet photographer Rudi is a dedicated Communist. Rising political tensions, their parents’ increasingly turbulent marriage, and inter-personal challenges, such as their mother’s declining mental health, exacerbate the brothers’ ideological differences before physical distance pushes them further apart. The boys’ alternating perspectives sometimes read too similarly, and portrayals of the supporting cast can feel problematic, as when a Black soldier’s seemingly primary purpose is to teach the siblings about racism in America: “this country of yours was exterminating anyone ‘non-Aryan.’ And now... I feel more at ease here than in my own country.” Occasional spreads of somber-toned artwork enhance the gloomy ambience of life in a divided Germany in this ambitious portrayal of one family’s personal suffering. Ages 12–up. Agent: Lori Kilkelly, LK Literary.