ABOUT
THE BOOK

Translated from the French by Adriana Hunter

2020 Longlist

Werner Zilch was adopted as an infant, and knows nothing of his biological family. But when, in 1970s New York, he meets the family of Rebecca, the woman he has fallen in love with, a mysterious link means he must uncover the truth of his past, or run the risk of losing her. Spanning 1945 Dresden, the Bavarian Alps and uncovering Operation Paperclip, this is a riveting novel of family and love that seamlessly blends fact with fiction.

About the Author

Adélaïde de Clermont-Tonnerre was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. Her first novel, Fourrure, won five literary prizes in France. Her second novel Le Dernier des Nôtre  was the winner of both the e Académie Francaise Grand Prix du Roman and the 2016 inaugural Filigranes prize

Librarian’s Comments

Werner a young businessman met and fell in love with Rebecca a painter from the New York pop-art milieu. Their love is endangered by grave family secrets linked with horrific events of the WW2 and the terrible aftermath. This book is partly a historical fiction, partly a family story with a mystery written in elegant prose of the classic style.  Katona József Library of Bács-Kiskun County, Hungary