Set across two different times, war time and 1961 when the Berlin Wall went up this story seamlessly moved between both timelines.

I’ve read many books about WW2, about the British, Jewish, American and more. But this is the first book I’ve read about Germans in and beyond WW2. I think it’s very easy to not think about Germany not needing air raid shelters, being bombed, rationing. Yet they had the same hardships many others had. The women, especially when the Russians arrived went through hell. I feel I was very ignorant to wartime life in Germany and I’ve been educated reading this book. It has moved me so much and I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Wow, what an exceptional book this is. I did not want it to finish because I knew I would miss it so much. If you are a lover of historical fiction like me, then this is a must read!!

Set across two timelines: at the end of the Second World War and in the months following the Berlin Wall going up in 1961, we follow Lisette and her family through the experiences that shape her as a teenager in 1945 and then again in 1961 as she gets separated from her baby son when the wall goes up. I was so nervous at some points in the 1961 section! The story and the way it unfolds is truly gripping and once you start, it is so hard to put it down!

I cannot tell you how wonderful this book is. Historical fiction is my favourite genre and this is a gem! The amount of research that has gone into ensuring that this fictional story is set within historical facts is clear from the beginning and I also enjoyed reading the author’s note at the end of the book, which gives some further detail and references. It also shows that there is never a good or a bad side in war: you always get kind and evil on both sides and war leaves so many different kinds of scars. I loved all the main characters and I know this book will become one of my top reads of the year.

Whilst I was lucky enough to read this as an ARC ahead of the publication date, I will be ordering my very own copy to keep because it is up there with my all time favourites and I want to have a physical copy on my bookshelf! I cannot believe this is a debut by the author and I hope we see many more books from her in the future!

An unusual World War II story. Lisette and her family are Berliners. They're not really supporters of Hitler but neither do they actively object to his policies, thinking it nothing to do with them. As the war drags on though, it certainly does impact them. Lisette's father is conscripted and they see the harsh treatment meted out to Jews who haven't managed to escape the city.

In 1961, musician Elly sees music in people. Everyone has different music, happy or sad, strident or soft. Her life is greatly impacted by the erection of the Berlin Wall. When the wall is closed, her baby brother is in hospital in West Berlin, she and the rest of her family are in East Berlin. She hatches a daring plan to unite their family. A gripping story that make you feel for all victims of war.

I am a great lover of historical fiction based on fact and this book covers it well. Based in Berlin from 1938 just before WW2 and going though to 1961 when the Berlin Wall went up.
Lisette is a very young women at the start of the war and has to endure losing her father and best friend to the German army. Her and her mother like many during this time suffer the derivatives of rationing of food along with the devastation of the bombing.
By 1945 the Russions envelope Berlin and rape their way through all of the women.
The result is a daughter, Elly,
In 1961, having married the return of her best friend, their newborn son becomes sick and is taken to West Berlin for treatment. Unfortunately the Berlin Wall goes up overnight leaving baby Axel on the western side. Elly takes it into her head to get him back. A very exciting end.
Well worth the read.

A gripping historical fiction read set against the backdrop of Berlin's division in 1961. The story follows Lisette, who becomes separated from her newborn son by the sudden erection of the Berlin Wall and her daughter Elly, who decides to try and find her baby brother and bring him home

The Silence In Between is a powerful debut, a worthy 5⭐️ read- particularly recommended for fans of historical fiction

I was disapponted at the start of this book when it went back from 1961 to 1944. I read a lot of war fiction and had hoped that this book was about post war experiences. I am so glad that I stuck with it. The writing is excellent, the sense of place, time and anguish is very well wrought and I just whizzed through the book. It's a brlliant story, very evocative and a bit 'edge of the seat' in a couple of places. The back and forward chapters worked well as they were in blocks rather than every alternate chapter. Five stars. An amazing debut.

This moving historical novel tells the story of Lisette and her daughter Elly, and the baby boy who is lost to both of them.

The sudden partitioning of Berlin into East and West not only divides a city and its people overnight, it also separates Lisette from her newborn son, who stays in the hospital in West Berlin, while his mother is unexpectedly trapped across the wall in East Berlin after returning home, having expected to leave him there only for an overnight stay.

Meanwhile, the split in the city echoes the rift between the mother and daughter who remain in the East. While Elly seeks solace in music, her mother is unable to do so. But Elly has a plan...

This is a touching story that brings vividly to life the impact of the division of Berlin on the lives of its inhabitants. Through Lisette and Elly, the suffering of a people is given a face that is universally recognisable.

The familiar emotions of loss, grief, and longing show how closely we are connected as humans, however divided we are by political beliefs and systems. Well worth reading, it gets 3.5 stars.

One of my favourite genres is psychological thriller, another is social history fact or fiction.
Although I was a little apprehensive regarding the setting of this book, I found it spellbinding, educational and in parts shocking. It covered some of the hidden horrors of war, and did it in a way that was explicit but not sensational.
This book worked on a number of levels, the characters were interesting and well written. The setting was unusual and risky for an English language audience but worked and gave a number of alternatives to the plot.
Historically the book fits in with what I know of the time and the area, and any questions regarding accuracy were answered in the author's note to the book.
Although the events of the book were frequently not pleasant I thought that the book was brilliant.
Well done to the author for all of the clearly had work that had been put into the story, and for the courage to tell this story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I recently read "The Silence In Between" by Josie Ferguson, and I was incredibly moved by this historical fiction novel. Set on 13th August 1931, the story revolves around the sudden closure of the border between East and West Berlin. It's an impressive debut work of historical fiction that I truly enjoyed. The plot was captivating and well-developed, and the author managed to create a perfect ambiance that made the entire reading experience immersive. The well-crafted characters made it easy to connect with their emotions and struggles. If I had to describe this book in a few words, I would say it's powerful, painful, and beautiful. I'm grateful to the publisher for providing access to this ARC, and I'm definitely planning to order my own copy when it's released. This novel has become one of my favorite books of the year so far.

Definitely a five star read for a me and a great debut read from this author. Historical fiction at its best, love it when you actually learn something from a novel. Based in Berlin at a crucial time in its history, Lisette is separated from her baby as the border closes and it seems to widen the gap between her and her first child. Her daughter Elly attempts to understand her mother and takes a huge step to rebuild their relationship. I found this a gripping novel to read and look forward to reading another by this author.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publishers for an ARC in return for an honest review.

4.5* rounded up to 5.

Written from a dal narrative perspective that moves between time: WW2 and 1961 when the Berlin Wall was erected, the story of Elly and Lisette is a powerful story. So much WW1 and WW2 fiction is told from a British/American or even French perspective - or perhaps that is what I am exposed to because of where I live - it was necessary to read something that explores a German perspective. I particularly appreciated the female experience of war and the atrocities done to women but also the celebration of female determination and bravery.

'The Silence In Between' is a well-researched novel with interesting details included that I found quirky.

I will be recommending this book widely as I believe it has a really important message.

Overall, the plot was really engaging,; I felt it was well-structured and it gave me a sense of completion as the loose ends were all neatly tied up. Elly and Lisette, our protagonists are complex characters that are both well-developed. Elly is brave and Lisette is complicated but both are admirable. Although I loved the plot and the characters, I couldn't give it a full 5 stars because I feel the writing could have been slightly more sophisticated. For example: A number of paragraphs consecutively begin with 'I...' and some of the figurative language was a bit clunky or cliched. These are really minor criticisms as I really enjoyed this novel very much.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is historical fiction at its best. The story takes place in Berlin at the end of WW2 and when the wall goes up. The writing is beautiful and transported me to East Berlin. The characters are well developed and credible.
I am looking forward to more from this author.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to the author and publisher for my digital review copy, provided through Netgalley.

The Silence in Between is a historical fiction set in Berlin in 1961 and the Second World War. Lisette takes her baby to a hospital in West Berlin, at the Doctor's orders she goes home to East Berlin leaving her baby behind. Overnight the city and her world are sliced in two. Lisette's teenage daughter Elly has never understood the distance between them. Despite the music that connects them, Lisette's world has turned silent and Elly tries desperately to bridge the gap. A glimmer of an idea becomes a plan to cross the wall and return home with her baby brother. 

I loved reading this book. Well... it was devastating, but I was captivated by the story and the characters.

The first half of the book features two parallel storylines, contrasting war-wrecked Berlin with the post-war Russian occupation of East Berlin. The second half then became very tense - I ended up finishing the book in about 2 hours once I got to the midway point. 

Both Lisette and Elly are fantastic main characters. They had different voices, similar as they are mother and daughter but distinct. I especially enjoyed how Lisette's character is slowly built up to the 1961 version throughout the earlier part of the book. Ferguson also very cleverly leaves out certain names and details in 1961 so that they can be revealed in the 1940s part of the story. 

I thought it was really interesting to read a book set on the German home front of World War Two. I've read plenty set in Britain and a few in France, but not Germany. East Germany too I haven't read any books about, beyond Non-Fiction. I enjoyed reading from this new perspective, and both periods really captured the atmosphere in different ways. 

As a word of warning though, this book doesn't shy away from the realities of the war, the Russian arrival and occupation of East Berlin. This means there are some quite graphic and violent scenes, which you need to be prepared for if you read this book.

I highly recommend picking up this book when it's released! If you're a historical fiction reader or enjoy books with strong family relationships, I think you'd enjoy The Silence in Between. This is a very strong debut novel from Josie Ferguson and I hope she writes more!

Having lived in Berlin, I was keen to read a novel that explored the themes of the divided city and wartime deprivations. Taking as it's starting point a woman finding herself on the other side of the border to her newborn son, when soldiers closed off East Berlin in 1961, this story is perfect for fans of highly emotional historical fiction.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.

This book kept me engaged from the very first page, Lisette leaves her baby boy at the hospital overnight whilst she returns home to get some rest however this is Berlin in August 1961 and the border closes overnight leaving Lisette in the East & her baby, Axel in the West. The story then jumps between Lisette during the Second World War, the bombing of Berlin by the Allied troops, the persecution of the Jews and Elly (Lisette’s daughter) in 1961 when the Berlin Wall goes up and her tenacity to get her brother back.

This book was beautifully written and gave me an insight into a part of history I had no real awareness of. I am used to reading & seeing things about the Second World War from other perspectives but not really from the point of view of what life was like for those living in Germany particularly the women. The book explores the trauma experienced by Lisette during the Second World War and how that has impacted on her relationship with her daughter Elly as well as her husband and her mother. Then the part of the story around the Berlin Wall going up was just so eye opening and something I only had a slight awareness of. A wonderful debut that I would highly recommend.

Thanks to PRH for the early copy. This is an incredibly moving novel about a part of history that I thought I knew well enough but I actually know so little about. It’s a fantastic portrait of life in Berlin through the 40’s and 60’s, and captures so many elements of what was a quite horrific time. It’s moving, deep and a story with many layers. The characters are all brought to life so vividly, and you can’t help but feel deeply for them. At its core it’s a tale of love and how it can conquer anything, and how we need to break down barriers so the past doesn’t repeat Itself. A very poignant message particularly in today’s times. I really enjoyed and can’t wait to see this published.

A remarkable book, this story covers a family torn apart by the Berlin wall, and society. I’ve not read anything quite like it, the writing was beautiful and the characters were vivid and warm. I particularly enjoyed the way music was presented as a common thread between mother and daughter, despite their differences. I always love historical fiction, and this was no exception. It was heart breaking and hopeful at the same time.