Restitution by Eliza Graham

Restitution by Eliza Graham is a well woven historical novel centred on the events in eastern Germany at the end of World War II. The heroine Alix is a young woman running for her life. From an aristocratic family in Pomerania she is the daughter of a member of the German resistance movement. Now she is trying to head west fleeing the invading Russian forces. When they arrive the Russians are brutal, making this not always an easy read, but details of the difficult subject matter are carefully handled throughout.

Alix's story is the main thrust of a series of flashbacks from the elderly Alix in London 2002. Initially, though immediately captivated by the Alix of 1945, I found the further flashbacks to the 1920s and 30s and Alix's parents (on whose friendships much of the plot hangs) a little irritating. However once I had a better map of the characters and relationships in my mind then I felt the flashbacks were working and the general flow of the narrative did begin to speed along nicely; the characters and lives of Alix and her friend Gregor were really worth the effort of getting into the book properly.

Not much is made in our popular culture of the trials and tribulations of ordinary Germans in WWII. This book took me into territory of which I have only the sketchiest outline, and the suffering in the lives of the civilian populations of eastern Germany and Poland is shocking. Restitution portrays this intense and troubled episode in European history with some grace and verve. The result is stylish plotting and informative narrative without being overly gruesome. The horrors are not hidden but are glanced at without direct textual gaze so it is readable even if you do not have a strong stomach for man's inhumanity for man.

Alix inevitably loses much on her way to freedom in the west, and the life we see her in in 2002, at the beginning of the book, obviously comes at some cost. The journey she takes us on in her reminiscences, though, is well worth the making.

Carole has also reviewed Restitution and you can read what she thinks here.

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A note on affiliate links: you'll be aware that I have affiliate links with Amazon and the majority of the direct book links lead there. This pays me a few pennies should you make an Amazon purchase if you click through via Juxtabook. The excellent Book Depository have also started an affiliate scheme and it is great to offer you the choice especially as The Book Depository offer free shipping to most destinations. I have added a Book Depository link below the categories section in the left hand bar. You are welcome to use the affiliate links or not as you see fit. The Book Depository scheme (scroll to the very bottom of the home page) is easy to sign up to, incidentally, if you have a blog of your own and would like to add an affiliate. The Book Depository direct link for Restitution is here should you wish to compare the site with the Amazon link in the review text above.

Comments

[fiona robyn]

I might do this too (BD affiliate) - I'd be interested in how you get on! Seems a good thing to support someone other than Amazon for a change...

[Carole]

Hi and thanks for visiting my blog. I'm glad that I'm not the only one who was confused at the beginning of this book, though as you say it is worth persevering.
Thanks for the link, I have reciprocated.
I have also added your blog to my bloglist.
Take care.

[Simon S]

Hmmm this sounds quite an interesting book and I really like the cover. I have to say I am rubbish at the who affiliates thing... I might try with BD mind you I still havent got Amazon working ha!