All quotes above from verified early readers on NetGalley
“Splitstone delves deep into the quieter, everyday devastations of war, skillfully depicting how it irrevocably alters cities, cultures, and lives…In a world where history often overshadows the individual experience, this book provides a deeply human perspective, offering a lens to explore the emotional and moral complexities of life in wartime Germany. The result is a moving and illuminating narrative that lingers long after the final page. [For fans of] Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See, Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale.”
BookLife Reviews, Editor’s Pick
“A riveting, emotional story of struggle, bravery and love in Dresden during World War II and in post-war East Germany. This book tugs at your heartstrings, and it will keep you up past bedtime turning pages. I loved it.”
Don Pugnetti Jr.
Author of A Coat Dyed Black: A Novel of the Norwegian Resistance
“In Für Elise, Splitstone offers a sweeping yet intimate tale of love, life, and loss, against the backdrop of a frenzied Germany prior to WWII and a broken and divided one following. This story — full of history and rich, sometimes harrowing, detail — will grab you from the start and linger long after you’ve turned the last page.”
Katherine Reay
Bestselling author of A Shadow in Moscow and The Berlin Letters
“Für Elise by Mark Splitstone shines an intense light on two people whose lives are changed forever by World War II. Not only do they live with the consequences of Hitler’s Nazi regime and the destruction of their home by Allied bombers, but they must also survive the long aftermath of war. They are both prisoners: he in a Russian POW camp and she in the stultifying rule of Cold War East Germany. At last, they are reunited. Can they build a new life from the shattered remnants of the old?”
John Rhodes
Award-winning author of the Breaking Point series set in World War II
“Through Splitstone’s flawless character development and the stunning prose that evoked all sorts of emotions, there’s no denying Für Elise is a novel you won’t forget. Readers who love historical war fiction that explores complex relationships will be drawn to Hans and Elise’s story. For me, this is a stand-out book of the year!”
Reader Views, 5-Star Review
“Classical music-loving readers may recognize the title from Beethoven — which designer Richard L. alludes to via the torn sheet music in the bottom right. The rest of Für Elise’s vintage cover screams (or sings?) ‘historical romance’: our leads in their 20th century clothing, the dilapidated building in the background, and the faded colors reminiscent of an old photograph. Formatting the blurb like an old-school letter is an especially thoughtful touch.”