Hi y’all!

I am thrilled to be sharing my ARC review of Katherine Reay’s latest historical novel: The Berlin Letters.

I have loved Katherine’s books since I read Dear Mr. Knightley. (I recently finished Daddy Long Legs which is actually the book which Dear Mr. Knightley is a loose retelling of. And it is fantastic as well!) Since that first novel, I have devoured many of her books and always enjoy them. Check out some of my other reviews below:

Dear Mr. Knightley
Lizzy and Jane
The Brontë Plot
A Portrait of Emily Price
The Austen Escape
The London House

The Berlin Letters is a fascinating story set in dual timelines in in Germany during the time of the Berlin Wall. It is a brilliant addition to Katherine’s fantastic body of work. Reay tells her story with poignant details and incredible heart. I was engrossed in the story and the fate of these characters.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the author/publisher through Netgalley.
All opinions are my own.

Book Summary: “Near the end of the Cold War, a CIA code breaker discovers a symbol she recognizes from her childhood, which launches her across the world to the heart of Berlin just before the wall comes tumbling down. November 1989 —After finding a secret cache of letters with intelligence buried in the text, CIA cryptographer Luisa Voekler learns that not only is her father alive but he is languishing in an East German Stasi jail. After piecing together the letters with a series of articles her grandfather saved, Luisa seeks out journalists Bran Bishop and Daniel Rudd. They send her to the CIA, to Andrew Cademan—her boss. Luisa confronts Cademan and learns that nothing is a coincidence, but he will not help her free her father. So she takes matters into her own hands, empties her bank account, and flies to West Berlin. As the adrenaline wears off and she recognizes she has no idea how to proceed, Luisa is both relieved and surprised when a friend shows up with contacts and a rudimentary plan to sneak her across the wall. Alternating storylines between Luisa and her father, The Berlin Letters shows the tumultuous early days of the wall, bringing Berlin, the epicenter of the Cold War, to life while also sharing one family’s journey through secrets, lies, and division to love, freedom, and reconciliation.”

The Cold War Berlin setting was incredibly fascinating as I learned so much about post-WWII Germany and the Berlin Wall. Getting a glimpse of life behind the Iron Curtain was so interesting. Learning about how the world worked in East Berlin was so intriguing. People thought differently, accepted things differently, revolted differently, and fought for freedom. I came to this book with my American experience and the German and Soviet experience surprised me. The way the wall came up so quickly was surprising. I couldn’t believe they had collected so much barbed wire! Then I found it fascinating how the Party controlled the news, the border, peoples jobs and homes, churches — everything. But that control couldn’t hold forever. The ending was the most compelling part of the novel as the wall comes down and the world changes forever.

I loved the dual perspectives in this novel giving us the story from different time periods. The letters that Luisa reads were clever and intriguing. The codes were even more compelling. We read Luisa’s grown up perspective in 1989 and Haris’, her father, perspective through the 1960s-1980s. I appreciated the similarities between their voices and also how they both change and grow through their stories. Haris is absolutely fascinating because of his growth. He begins the novel a very different man than who he becomes at the end. Seeing his opinions of the party and their platforms shift was an intriguing journey. I also enjoying getting to know him and Luisa better through their shared perspectives. They both are surprised by the secrets they discover and their abilities to create and decipher codes were impressive. I love their reunion at the end and the ways they experience such a poignant moment in history together.

The storytelling is exquisite as Reay creates a compelling and vibrant story. Although I have not yet visited Berlin, I was transported there though Reay’s writing. I could see the creation of the wall and the many additions to it’s intensity. I could see the abandoned churches, the sterile block housing, the dying trees, the simple apartments and sophisticated Stasi center. I also felt the emotions of the people — the fear, the anger, the determination, the courage, the strength, and the overwhelm. Reay so expertly balances the experiences of the masses with the experiences of individuals. In many ways, Reay puts us at the center of the conflict and I was impressed by how much I felt I understood this time in history after reading The Berlin Letters.

Another absolutely fantastic novel from Katherine Reay! The characters are complex and endearing. The storytelling is fantastic. And the historical moment is unlike any other. I was fascinated by all I learned in this novel and grateful for Reay’s many notes and sources that she mentions at the end of the book. A must read for anyone interested in understanding the Berlin War years and anyone who appreciates a compelling story showcasing the best of the human spirit during a unique time in world history.

Which historical novels have moved you?
Who are your favorite historical fiction novelists?

Katherine Reay is the national bestselling and award-winning author of Dear Mr. Knightley, Lizzy and Jane, The Brontë Plot, A Portrait of Emily Price, The Austen Escape, and The Printed Letter Bookshop. All Katherine’s novels are contemporary stories with a bit of classical flair. Katherine holds a BA and MS from Northwestern University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, and is a wife, mother, former marketer, and avid chocolate consumer. After living all across the country and a few stops in Europe, Katherine now happily resides outside Chicago, IL.

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