Confession with Blue Horses

MARKET: Kate Atkinson; Helen Dunmore; All the Light We Cannot See; The Book Thief; Stasiland; The Lives of Others.

Sophie Hardach is the author of two novels, The Registrar's Manual for Detecting Forced Marriages, about Kurdish refugees, and Of Love and Other Wars, about pacifists during World War Two. Also a journalist, she worked as a correspondent for Reuters news agency in Tokyo, Paris and Milan and has written for a number of publications including the Atlantic, the Guardian and the Daily Telegraph.

The sheer beauty of Confession with Blue Horses lies in Sophie Hardach's deft hand at creating an atmospheric and page-turning story of lives built and destroyed in the shadow of the Berlin Wall. Incredibly moving, and in parts, devastating, but always beaming with hope. An exquisite, memorable novel
A powerful story of East and West Germany and the devastating impact of political division on a family's life. Sophie Hardach writes with intelligence, humour and compassion about the resilience of the human spirit and the ties that bind us. Gripping and beautifully written
Hardach's wise and unsentimental novel presents a nuanced picture of East Germany. Hardach is excellent on telling details: there is a tender scene towards the end of the book when Ella visits a McDonald's in West Germany after the fall of the wall, and tries not to be disappointed by the gherkin in the burger. Highly recommended
A tragic family drama, a gripping mystery and a rich history of the impact of a divided country. Sophie Hardach portrays both the political upheavals and personal dramas with subtle poignancy and a sharp eye for detail. Her characters are richly layered and bristle with charm; and she evokes Berlin, both past and present, with all the vibrant colour that a city with such history deserves. Living, as we do, in such politically fractured times, it's a story of truth and reconciliation that packs a very timely punch
A tale of family secrets and betrayals, shortlisted for the Costa novel award
Thought-provoking... An absorbing slow burn of a book that not only casts light on Germany's recent history but depicts, with careful tenderness, a family simultaneously torn apart by ideology and bound by powerful ties of love'
Offers a sympathetic and non-judgemental insight into this period in German history, touching upon the controversial themes with a real sense of equilibrium