This, the author’s debut novel, tells the story of the women of Berlin, through two devastating historic events: the Second World War and the construction of the Wall: on the morning of the 13th of August 1961, Berliner’s in the east awoke to find themselves imprisoned behind it. It does not reveal anything with which anyone already, above a certain age, is unlikely to be familiar. In this sense it could almost, therefore, through the prism of one woman’s agony, be regarded as a case study in the misery and suffering endured by German females of all ages at the hands of the Soviet occupiers.

The woman in question is Lisette Lange, who we first meet on 12th August 1961 in a hospital waiting room, her five-week-old son, Axel, cradled in her arms. The hospital is situated in what will become, officially, West Berlin. The doctor tells her there is something he needs to check on, a ‘few more tests’ to run, but that he doesn’t think the slight issue with the baby’s low oxygen levels are a major concern. After much persuading, she agrees to leave her child, get some sleep, and return to collect him the next day.

Tragically, the wall now separates her from her son and there appears little she can do about it. We now begin to get insights into Lisette’s history, with flashbacks to the War: eventually, also, we are introduced to Elly, Lisette’s fifteen-year-old daughter, who is largely ignored by her mother, consumed as she is with grief at the loss of her baby. But though it is Lisette’s story to begin with, Elly becomes, increasingly, the focus of the narrative.

The novel is well written, the flashback device mostly works, and the character development is assured. There are times, however, when it teeters on the edge of cliché, although, of course, the difficulty of rendering, novel, anything to do with the Nazis, the Soviets, and the Cold War, all of which are so firmly imprinted on the modern psyche must be acknowledged, and the story kept my interest till the end.

Nevertheless, I would not say it gripped me and I think this may have been due to the frequent switches of narrative focus between Lisette and Elly, who both told their own stories in the first-person. Perhaps a more straightforward omniscient third-person narration would have served the story better.

I really don’t feel like my review can do this book justice but I will try my best..

This book is moving, painful and extremely powerful.

Written in duel perspectives of Lisette and her daughter Elly. Lisette’s story is predominantly set in 1940’s Berlin during the war and the subsequent Battle of Berlin in 1945. Lisette’s story is painful and truly heartbreaking in parts. Elly’s story set in 1960’s during the start of Berlin Wall Era and tells a story of strength and resilience.

Lisette’s baby Axel is in hospital on the west side of Berlin when the wall is put up and the border closes, with the family living on the east, Elly makes it her personal mission to bring Axel home where he belongs, despite the odds being stacked against her.

Although being fiction, the book is largely based on true events and it is harrowing to read what the women went through during what is known as “the rape of Berlin”. I knew little about this war and even less about the wall of Berlin so it has absolutely opened my eyes to another awful time that really wasn’t that long ago.

I recommend this book to everyone, it is a compelling read to say the least!

I don't often give 5* for a debut novel, however this is such a wonderful story and so well written. The book is told from a mother and daughter's pov and in dual time frames. It is loosely based on a true story and so poignantly crafted that it brought tears to my eyes at points of it. The author highlights not only the brutality that war brings but also the resilience that as humans we have. It was interesting to read about what happened to these German women in the latter days of the war as it is not something commonly spoken about. The book left me speechless. Well done to Josie for writing this.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.

I was totally engrossed by this meticulously researched book which taught me a lot about Berlin's history during WW2 and about the events of 1961 when the Wall was built.

It concerns a mother and daughter living through terrible times, and really brought home to me the terrible abuse heaped on women in times of conflict. Their fear was palpable. Their ability to endure and to survive was incredible.

The prose is impeccable. I would point out just one error. The term 'early onset dementia' did not come into being until 2000. Previously it was called 'presenile dementia'. Apologies for being pedantic but it jarred.

Very emotional read set in an interesting time when the Berlin Wall was erected and a baby was separated from its mother. Time lines and perspectives change throughout and it’s a gripping and horrifying read in parts. Learnt a lot and this was mostly within my lifetime.

Lisette's baby is unwell, her motherly instinct tells her to stay with him at the hospital, but she is just weeks post partum and the doctor insists that she must go home and rest. Her baby will be safe there he insists.

She does as instructed and intends to return to the hospital after a few hours, but she lies down next to her sleeping husband and unintentionally falls into a deep slumber herself, exhausted after the hours of waiting at the hospital.

She wakes to the devastating news that she can no longer cross the border between East and West berlin. It has been closed overnight, and now she is trapped with her daughter, husband and elderly mother in the East, with her new baby son unreachable in the West.

Elly, Lisette's teenage daughter sees how distressed her Mother is, and wonders if she can do something to help bring her baby brother back.

No one ever talks about the war, but Elly knows that they shouldn't be still being punished for whatever happened all these decades later. Especially not her generation.

Driven by a sense of injustice for her generation and the usual teenage action without thought about the consequences to follow, Elly quickly finds herself in danger. Her life is saved by someone who risks his own life and career to help her, and Elly realises for the first time that perhaps life is more complicated than she first thought.

When Lisette finds the note Elly has left for her, detailing her plan to find her baby brother, she is distraught, for now she has lost two children. Can Elly find her Brother and bring him home, or will Lisette lose everything all over again?

On the 13th of August 1961, the border between East and West Berlin is closed overnight, devastatingly separating Lisette from her baby Axel.
Her older daughter Elli, who’s rarely felt any love or warmth from her mother, decides to daringly cross the border to bring her brother back.
We are then transported back to WW2 where we follow the war through the eyes of Lisette.
The book goes back and forth between these 2 timelines and we discover why they have such a strained relationship.
I’ve only read a few WW2 books from a German perspective. How so many were fearful to speak out against the Nazis and how they turned a blind eye to what was happening to Jewish people as they feared repercussions. When the Russians invaded Berlin after the war, the aftermath was horrifying, particularly for the women.
A very emotional read, with music interwoven throughout. With thanks to Netgalley and the published for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderful debut novel that is informative as well as emotional and well-written! It tells a story that isn’t often told, and I certainly learnt a lot through reading.

It focuses on both the rape of Berlin at the end of the Second World War and the Berlin Wall in 1961. There are two timelines followed, Lisette, who was an older teenager when the war started, and her daughter Elly who is a teen in 1961. In the latter POV, Elly embarks on a dangerous mission to travel to West Berlin and back to rescue her baby brother, who was alone in a hospital the night the Berlin Wall was formed. It was shocking to read that situations such as this actually happened, and children were separated from their parents for years. I also didn’t know the horrors civilians faced in East Berlin after the War had ended. It was interesting to read a story based on something so rarely focused on. I also appreciated that it was written in a sensitive way, which also acknowledged the horrors of the Holocaust.

I don’t always enjoy stories that flash back into the past and span across multiple timelines as it can get confusing, but in this case, I found it really interesting to find out more about Lisette’s upbringing and what made her the way she is. She has a very distanced relationship with Elly and I found that I understood her more through reading about her past. I also liked Elly as a character and found her relatable in many ways.

The dialogue was good and all characters felt unique and well-developed, which is really important to me when reading a novel. I thought the pacing was appropriate and I was never bored. I would definitely read future books by this author!

Absolutely gripping story with the women of Berlin again it's heart and centre. The author has expertly drawn characters that really draw you in. Music is a central theme throughout, whilst Elly's music that she 'hears' from the other characters is an interesting idea I'm not sure it was exploited to the full. She decides to trust Andrei based on his music but it is barely mentioned when she is deciding to trust others or in relationship with family members other than her mother.

That said the story has stayed with me and was beautifully written and well researched. I have a German degree and have reseached a lot about the downfall of Berlin and the work is definitely historically accurate and presents a realistic view of the experience of women during this time.

I'd definitely read more from this author.

Initially, "The Silence In Between" by Josie Ferguson took some time to capture my interest, but by the 25% mark, I was completely hooked. Josie Ferguson expertly brings the characters and the story to life, making me feel as though I was right there in the room with them.

The novel is an incredibly powerful and moving story, shedding light on the realities of being a female in East Berlin. These narratives have largely gone untold before, and I applaud Josie for her extensive research and dedication in bringing these stories into this compelling tale. The authenticity and depth she achieves make the book not only engaging but also enlightening.

One of the highlights of the book is the author's note at the end, where Josie shares her inspiration and research process. It provided valuable context and made me appreciate the story even more.

However, my only frustration with the book was the constant focus on the music that Elly hears for each person. While I understand that it played a part in Elly's identity and background, I felt that it occasionally detracted from the overarching story and disrupted the narrative flow.

Overall, "The Silence In Between" is a remarkable read that brings untold stories to light in a powerful way. Despite my minor critique, I highly recommend this book for its compelling characters and evocative storytelling.

A thought provoking book that should be in all school libraries. It is written over two time lines - WW2 in Germany and the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961. The story deals with the uncomfortable theme of the rape of many German women by Russian soldiers at the end of the war. It then moves forward to the building of the Berlin Wall literally overnight leaving a small baby in a hospital in the west while his mother goes home to the east to rest and collect clean clothes and nappies little knowing that she would not be able to return. This part of the book is seen through the eyes of the mother and of her daughter who vows to rescue her brother and get him across the wall. Beautifully told and at times heartbreaking especially as these stories actually happened but are not widely known. Thank you Netgalley for an advance copy.

A duel timeline historical fiction story about one family’s journey in Berlin during the Second World War and the construction of the Berlin Wall.
A story about courage and hope.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautiful, heartbreaking, thought provoking story.
I wasn’t sure this would be my cup of tea but I loved it!

I shall never forget this book. It had a huge impact on me and I have learnt so much. Its authenticity is compelling, and how much it hurts to know the sadness and suffering of the Germans. The imagery is vivid and spiced with superb metaphors. What an amazing insight, especially in this war-torn world and so close to the eightieth anniversary of the D-Day Landings.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the novel is how the author, Josie Ferguson, weaves in the concept of Elly judging people’s emotions and reactions through musical pieces. It's a unique and fascinating approach I’ve never encountered before in a book, adding a layer of depth and complexity to the narrative.

I’m old enough to recall the Berlin Wall going up in 1961 and knowing many were shot if they tried to scale it. I was too young to understand why it was divided, but it shook the world. By 1989 I knew more when the wall was taken down. I knew a German girl who flew out to Germany that night to be reunited with relatives in East Berlin.

I always wondered what the war was like for the German people. In the post-war years in Britain, it was bad enough. I knew Germany surrendered to the Soviets, but I didn’t know about their barbarous acts. The end of the book shocked me to the core. It was extremely tense.

Thank you to Random House UK and NetGalley.

Two mothers, two daughters. Their fears, losses and traumas. Their fractured relationships in war-time and post-war Berlin both before and after the Wall.

Compelling, powerful, incredibly moving and ‘human.’

Highly recommend.

What a phenomenal book, I couldn’t put it down and read it in one day. There has obviously been a huge amount of research done to ensure the detail of the time is correct and true stories have been included but none of the research ever bogs it down, it just feels totally authentic and genuinely tense, often reading like a thriller.

The story is set in Berlin and surrounds two women, Lisette and her daughter Elly. It opens in 1961 – Lisette has just had her second child, Axel, and has to leave him in hospital overnight for tests while she returns home to collect some more clothes and rest. During that night the border between East and West Berlin is suddenly closed and she is trapped in the East while Axel remains in the West, out of her reach. Her relationship with her 15 year old daughter is strained and becomes more so as Lisette struggles to cope. The story then splits between learning about Lisette’s experiences in wartime Berlin and especially after it falls to the Russians in 1945, and Elly’s decision in the 60s to attempt to cross the Berlin Wall and bring her brother back. Another generation of women, Lisette’s mother, also features heavily in both time periods.

Women are very much the centre of this story and it’s such a fascinating look at wartime. So often the history of war is told about the men who fought, and while that is obviously so important it is essential that we also look at what happens to the civilians left behind. The horrors of the experiences, physical and mental, in this novel are very much based on historical fact, and it’s not limited to the time and place of Berlin in World War II but is something that happens in wars everywhere and at all times. It’s horrifying and thought provoking and is one of the best books I have read on the subject.

All of the characters are wholly believable and can be very frustrating in their behaviour but the flashbacks really explain why people are acting as they do and all of them gain sympathy for their own unique experience, with a real sense of how terrifying life must have been (in both periods). Sympathy for the characters is always placed in context too – during the World War II sections, the action centres very much around the Germans struggling to survive but there is an awareness of what is happening to the Jews and many are actively choosing not to see. Choices are made over whether to be part of the regime or just try to survive and it’s not simplified, and nor is the Allied bombing that is attempting to destroy an evil regime but will target civilians in the process. Similarly, when the Russians arrive they are brutal and frightening but also hitting back at their own horrific experiences of war and the women are actively being used for vengeance.

So this book never attempts to tell a simple, one sided story and it’s all the better for it, a fascinating, tense, beautifully written and evocative novel. I really can’t recommend it highly enough.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Fascinating and gripping historical novel. It shows the huge impact war can have on ordinary people by following one German family through World War Two and the Cold War. Some parts were difficult to read, but it shows the horrific reality of war in an honest way. It has left me with a lot of food for thought. Highly recommend.

This is a beautiful historical fiction read, set during both the Second World War and in Berlin during the 1960's when the Berlin Wall was constructed. It is well written, depicting the strength of two women, Elly and Lisette, What an emotional, thought provoking and beautiful read this is. An amazing debut novel by Josie Ferguson which I am sure will be enjoyed by lovers of historical fiction. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Wow, wow, wow! This book is just incredible!

Thank you so much to Josie Ferguson and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book for an honest review.

Honestly, this book was just everything! I couldn't put it down, and whilst I wanted to read it every given minute, I just didn't want it to ever end.

The stories that are woven together, from the dual perspective of mother and daughter characters is done brilliantly, but the themes that the book covers is spectacular, and done in such a heart felt and pure way. Heartbreak, loss, trauma, love, family, angst... this book has it all! It takes you on an emotional rollercoaster and throws everything at you on its journey. I didn't think historical fiction would be for me, but how this book has changed my mind completely. Its not often you find a book that pulls at your heart strings and stitches you back up again and that is how you know it is special!

The fact this is Josie's debut novel is also mind blowing! It deserves every ounce of success.

Read this book! You will not be left disappointed!

A gripping historical novel set in Berlin during two time periods - the Second World War and around 1961, when the Berlin Wall was erected. The main focus is the gruelling and often harrowing experiences of the women protagonists and how these have shaped them into the people that they are. Moving between the two time periods allows us to better understand the characters once we understand their own personal history. I highly recommend this book for its female perspective on Nazi Germany and the GDR.