The Silence In Between

Heartbreak, hope and unbreakable love – the must-read sweeping historical novel about mothers, family and survival

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The Silence In Between

By: Josie Ferguson

Narrated by: Rosina Aichner, Josie Ferguson

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Summary

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

Josie FergusonRosina AichnerJosie FergusonTransworld Digital

20th Century

Family Life

Genre Fiction

Historical Fiction

Women's Fiction

Heartfelt

Inspiring

Thought-Provoking

Tear-jerking

20th Century Family Life Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Women's Fiction Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking Tear-jerking

Critic reviews

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

A thoughtful and moving debut ... Rooted in real stories, The Silence in Between is a reminder of how seismic political events shape ordinary lives

A strong, emotionally resonant debut full of music and menace

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

A confident debut with an original premise

A captivating, tense portrayal of desperation, fortitude and courage

A tautly plotted, deeply involving novel that packs a real emotional punch … I can't recommend this novel highly enough

A quietly powerful novel about lives altered by a seismic historical moment

A gut-wrenching but beautiful novel about love, family, resilience and music

A powerful story of family, hope and generational narratives, beautifully told

Most relevant

A wonderful story, engaging characters, a heartbreaking journey through WWII Berlin… how women suffer at the hands of men and their stupid need to dominate others.
Loved the authentic narration with a German accent.