And After the Fire - Softcover

Belfer, Lauren

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0062428527 ISBN 13: 9780062428523

Publisher: Harper Perennial, 2017

Synopsis

National Jewish Book Award Winner!

The New York Times-bestselling author of A Fierce Radiance and City of Light returns with a new powerful and passionate novel--inspired by historical events--about two women, one European and one American, and the mysterious choral masterpiece by Johann Sebastian Bach that changes both their lives.

In the ruins of Germany in 1945, at the end of World War II, American soldier Henry Sachs takes a souvenir, an old music manuscript, from a seemingly deserted mansion and mistakenly kills the girl who tries to stop him.

In America in 2010, Henry's niece, Susanna Kessler, struggles to rebuild her life after she experiences a devastating act of violence on the streets of New York City. When Henry dies soon after, she uncovers the long-hidden music manuscript. She becomes determined to discover what it is and to return it to its rightful owner, a journey that will challenge her preconceptions about herself and her family's history--and also offer her an opportunity to finally make peace with the past.

In Berlin, Germany, in 1783, amid the city's glittering salons where aristocrats and commoners, Christians and Jews, mingle freely despite simmering anti-Semitism, Sara Itzig Levy, a renowned musician, conceals the manuscript of an anti-Jewish cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach, an unsettling gift to her from Bach's son, her teacher. This work and its disturbing message will haunt Sara and her family for generations to come.

Interweaving the stories of Susanna and Sara, and their families, And After the Fire traverses over two hundred years of history, from the eighteenth century through the Holocaust and into today, seamlessly melding past and present, real and imagined. Lauren Belfer's deeply researched, evocative, and compelling narrative resonates with emotion and immediacy.

About this title

Review:

"In Belfer's hands, fictitious characters blend uncannily with historical ones."--The New Yorker

"[A] compelling blend of fact and fiction.... Based on impressive research, this remarkable novel spans centuries and continents, touching finally on the Holocaust and serving as a paean to Bach's music."--Booklist (starred review)

"An intellectual thriller and a beautiful love story. What if you came into possession of an historical artifact with the power to alter history and change the world? Sure to establish Belfer as a fearless, provocative writer. Impossible to put down."--Sara Gruen, #1 New York Times bestselling author of At the Water's Edge and Water for Elephants

"A bold and hugely ambitious novel with the transfixing appeal of a best-seller...by a native daughter of the city whose talent is now even beyond the admiration of those of us so impressed by City of Light....Extraordinary."--Buffalo News

"A remarkably suspenseful story, a literary thriller in the tradition of A.S. Byatt's Possession."--Kirkus Reviews

"Compelling.... An immersive, page-turning story emboldened by historical fact and a rich imagination."--Publishers Weekly

"This latest novel from Belfer...is her most compelling yet.... Told with lyrical beauty (in a tender love scene, the past exists with the present), the novel is like the lost cantata itself, revealing our capacity for darkness, redeemed by the power of unconditional love. A dazzling, transformative novel. Highly recommended."--Historical Novel Review

"A fascinating historical novel and poignant love story that will open the eyes and ears of music lovers and please those who enjoy a graceful, spellbinding tale pondering important questions."--Library Journal (starred review)

"Marvelous.... Meticulously structured.... Eloquently and elegantly written. The themes are important and engaging. It is not a novel one will put down easily or forget at its conclusion."--Jewish Book Council

"An outstanding historical novel.... Compelling."--BookLoons.com

From the Back Cover:

In Berlin, Germany, in 1783, amid the city's glittering salons where aristocrats and commoners, Christians and Jews, mingle freely, Sara Itzig Levy, a renowned musician, conceals the score of an anti-Jewish masterpiece by Johann Sebastian Bach, an unsettling gift to her from Bach's son, her teacher. This work and its disturbing message will haunt Sara and her family for generations to come.

In war-ravaged Germany, in 1945, an American soldier takes a souvenir, an old music manuscript, from a seemingly deserted mansion and mistakenly kills the girl who tries to stop him.

In America, in 2010, his niece, Susanna Kessler, struggles to rebuild her life after experiencing a devastating act of violence. When her beloved uncle dies, she uncovers the long-hidden manuscript. She's determined to discover what it is and to return it to its rightful owner, a journey that will challenge her preconceptions about herself and her family's history--and also offer her an opportunity finally to make peace with the past.

Interweaving the stories of Susanna and Sara, and their families, And After the Fire traverses more than two hundred years of history, seamlessly melding past and present, real and imagined.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 0062428527
• ISBN 13: 9780062428523
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 496