Homecoming by Bernhard Schlink

Homecoming

Bernhard Schlink

A complicated novel, with many disparate strands, dealing with a son's search for the truth about his father's supposed death in the final days of WW2. I didn’t really engage with the characters – they have all been damaged either by actual wartime involvement or by being Germans coming to terms with Germany's Nazi past. However, those who enjoyed the book or film version of 'The Reader' will find 'Homecoming' provides a deeper insight into the philosphy behind the good versus evil debate and raises it to a higher level.

Extract
'Then he had to leave, and I didn't see him again until April 1945 in Breslau. One morning there he was in my basement ruins with a Swiss passport for me. His Swiss accent made everything sound so simple. Even the ruins, the misery and death didn't seem so bad .... A few days later he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and got shot.'
Parallels
  • The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
  • Vienna by Eva Menasse