Intended AudienceTrade
Reviews"Rhidian Brook's arresting novel brings vividly to life a little-told aspect of World War II: its aftermath. His story--energetically and authoritatively told--is unsettling and compelling, suffused with suffering and, mercifully, some hope." --Claire Messud, author of The Woman Upstairs "Brook's masterly novel . . . wrings every drop of feeling out of a gripping human situation, and his vignettes of war-ravaged Hamburg are superb." -- The Mail on Sunday "Brook's beautifully written novel ponders issues of decency, guilt, and forgiveness . . . Profoundly moving." -- The Independent "Reading The Aftermath, one can't help but wonder if this is the sort of literary memorialization (albeit from a British author) that Sebald might have wished for." -- Washington Post "Superb . . . Conjuring surprise after surprise as it shows how the forces of politics and history penetrate even the most intimate moments of its characters' emotional lives . . . The house on the Elbe [is] akin to Hamlet 's Elsinore." -- The Guardian "A moving, always enthralling journey into the dark and light of history. Rhidian Brook has written a brilliant novel." --Joseph O'Neill, author of Netherland "Brook is wonderful at evoking the atmosphere of this forgotten time and place . . . There is much to think about here." -- The Times (London) "Brook's excellent novel [is] a captivating tale of love among the ruins but also of treachery and vengeance . . . It does what all good novels should do: it poses many complex questions and resists neat, topped-and-tailed answers." -- Literary Review "Brook addresses weighty themes--forgiveness, familial loss--with a light touch . . . Brings to mind no less a novel than J.G. Ballard's Empire of the Sun. " -- Financial Times "Rhidian Brook takes a piece of history I thought I knew well and breaks it open; The Aftermath is a compelling, surprising, and moving novel." --Sadie Jones, author of The Uninvited Guests From the Hardcover edition., "Rhidian Brook's arresting novel brings vividly to life a little-told aspect of World War II." --Claire Messud "Superb. . . . Conjures surprise after surprise as it shows how the forces of politics and history penetrate even the most intimate moments of its characters' emotional lives." -- The Guardian (London) "A brilliant novel. . . . A moving, always enthralling journey into the dark and light of history." --Joseph O'Neill, author of Netherland "A captivating tale of love among the ruins but also of treachery and experience. . . . It poses many complex questions." -- Literary Review "Reading The Aftermath , one can't help but wonder if this is the sort of literary memorialization . . . that Sebald might have wished for." -- The Washington Post "A fine, moving novel. . . . Brook addresses weighty themes--forgiveness, familial loss--with a light touch . . . . Bring[s] to mind no less a novel than J.G. Ballard's Empire of the Sun ." -- Financial Times "Brook is wonderful at evoking the atmosphere of this forgotten time and place. . . . Brook handles the often shocking turn of events with a spareness matched to the harshness of that winter . . . There is much to think about here. It is a moral book but not a moralising one." -- The Times (London) "Engrossing. . . . Brook is a master with mixing the mundane details with characters' trials and tribulations. . . . This story of passion, betrayal and ultimate truth and forgiveness will have you hooked." -- Portland Book Review "Profoundly moving. . . . Brook's beautifully written novel ponders issues of decency, guilt and forgiveness. . . . The meticulous integrity of [his] prose style builds a narrative of chastened humans . . . turning back from the brink." -- The Independent (London) "Masterly. . . . The story develops with many a deft twist. . . . Brook wrings every drop of feeling out of a gripping human situation, and his vignettes of war-ravaged Hamburg are superb." -- Mail on Sunday "A stylish, heart-searching, and convincing story. . . . Memorably refashions this period." -- The Herald (Scotland) "An entertaining blend of romance, history and suspense, one to which Brook's style is perfectly suited: it's sturdy, stripped down with the just the right amount of gnarled beauty poking through the cracks." -- The Toronto Star "Rhidian Brook takes a piece of history I thought I knew well and breaks it open; The Aftermath is a compelling, surprising, and moving novel." --Sadie Jones, author of The Uninvited Guests "Riveting. . . . Emotionally charged. . . . Fans of WWII-era historical fiction will be drawn to this novel." -- Publishers Weekly , "Rhidian Brook's arresting novel brings vividly to life a little-told aspect of World War II: its aftermath. His story--energetically and authoritatively told--is unsettling and compelling, suffused with suffering and, mercifully, some hope." --Claire Messud, author of The Woman Upstairs "Brook's masterly novel . . . wrings every drop of feeling out of a gripping human situation, and his vignettes of war-ravaged Hamburg are superb." -- The Mail on Sunday "Brook's beautifully written novel ponders issues of decency, guilt, and forgiveness . . . Profoundly moving." -- The Independent "Superb . . . Conjuring surprise after surprise as it shows how the forces of politics and history penetrate even the most intimate moments of its characters' emotional lives . . . The house on the Elbe [is] akin to Hamlet 's Elsinore." -- The Guardian "A moving, always enthralling journey into the dark and light of history. Rhidian Brook has written a brilliant novel." --Joseph O'Neill, author of Netherland "Brook is wonderful at evoking the atmosphere of this forgotten time and place . . . There is much to think about here." -- The Times (London) "Brook's excellent novel [is] a captivating tale of love among the ruins but also of treachery and vengeance . . . It does what all good novels should do: it poses many complex questions and resists neat, topped-and-tailed answers." -- Literary Review "Brook addresses weighty themes--forgiveness, familial loss--with a light touch . . . Brings to mind no less a novel than J.G. Ballard's Empire of the Sun. " -- Financial Times "Rhidian Brook takes a piece of history I thought I knew well and breaks it open; The Aftermath is a compelling, surprising, and moving novel." --Sadie Jones, author of The Uninvited Guests, "Rhidian Brook's arresting novel brings vividly to life a little-told aspect of World War II." --Claire Messud "Superb. . . . Conjures surprise after surprise as it shows how the forces of politics and history penetrate even the most intimate moments of its characters' emotional lives." -- The Guardian (London) "A brilliant novel. . . . A moving, always enthralling journey into the dark and light of history." --Joseph O'Neill, author of Netherland "A captivating tale of love among the ruins but also of treachery and vengeance. . . . It poses many complex questions." -- Literary Review "Reading The Aftermath , one can't help but wonder if this is the sort of literary memorialization . . . that Sebald might have wished for." -- The Washington Post "A fine, moving novel. . . . Brook addresses weighty themes--forgiveness, familial loss--with a light touch . . . . Bring[s] to mind no less a novel than J.G. Ballard's Empire of the Sun ." -- Financial Times "Brook is wonderful at evoking the atmosphere of this forgotten time and place. . . . Brook handles the often shocking turn of events with a spareness matched to the harshness of that winter . . . There is much to think about here. It is a moral book but not a moralising one." -- The Times (London) "Engrossing. . . . Brook is a master with mixing the mundane details with characters' trials and tribulations. . . . This story of passion, betrayal and ultimate truth and forgiveness will have you hooked." -- Portland Book Review "Profoundly moving. . . . Brook's beautifully written novel ponders issues of decency, guilt and forgiveness. . . . The meticulous integrity of [his] prose style builds a narrative of chastened humans . . . turning back from the brink." -- The Independent (London) "Masterly. . . . The story develops with many a deft twist. . . . Brook wrings every drop of feeling out of a gripping human situation, and his vignettes of war-ravaged Hamburg are superb." -- Mail on Sunday "A stylish, heart-searching, and convincing story. . . . Memorably refashions this period." -- The Herald (Scotland) "An entertaining blend of romance, history and suspense, one to which Brook's style is perfectly suited: it's sturdy, stripped down with the just the right amount of gnarled beauty poking through the cracks." -- The Toronto Star "Rhidian Brook takes a piece of history I thought I knew well and breaks it open; The Aftermath is a compelling, surprising, and moving novel." --Sadie Jones, author of The Uninvited Guests "Riveting. . . . Emotionally charged. . . . Fans of WWII-era historical fiction will be drawn to this novel." -- Publishers Weekly, "Rhidian Brook's arresting novel brings vividly to life a little-told aspect of World War II." --Claire Messud "Superb. . . . Conjures surprise after surprise as it shows how the forces of politics and history penetrate even the most intimate moments of its characters' emotional lives." -- The Guardian (London) "A brilliant novel. . . . A moving, always enthralling journey into the dark and light of history." --Joseph O'Neill, author of Netherland "A captivating tale of love among the ruins but also of treachery and vengeance. . . . It poses many complex questions." -- Literary Review "Reading The Aftermath , one can't help but wonder if this is the sort of literary memorialization . . . that Sebald might have wished for." -- The Washington Post "A fine, moving novel. . . . Brook addresses weighty themes--forgiveness, familial loss--with a light touch . . . . Bring[s] to mind no less a novel than J.G. Ballard's Empire of the Sun ." -- Financial Times "Brook is wonderful at evoking the atmosphere of this forgotten time and place. . . . Brook handles the often shocking turn of events with a spareness matched to the harshness of that winter . . . There is much to think about here. It is a moral book but not a moralising one." -- The Times (London) "Engrossing. . . . Brook is a master with mixing the mundane details with characters' trials and tribulations. . . . This story of passion, betrayal and ultimate truth and forgiveness will have you hooked." -- Portland Book Review "Profoundly moving. . . . Brook's beautifully written novel ponders issues of decency, guilt and forgiveness. . . . The meticulous integrity of [his] prose style builds a narrative of chastened humans . . . turning back from the brink." -- The Independent (London) "Masterly. . . . The story develops with many a deft twist. . . . Brook wrings every drop of feeling out of a gripping human situation, and his vignettes of war-ravaged Hamburg are superb." -- Mail on Sunday "A stylish, heart-searching, and convincing story. . . . Memorably refashions this period." -- The Herald (Scotland) "An entertaining blend of romance, history and suspense, one to which Brook's style is perfectly suited: it's sturdy, stripped down with the just the right amount of gnarled beauty poking through the cracks." -- The Toronto Star "Rhidian Brook takes a piece of history I thought I knew well and breaks it open; The Aftermath is a compelling, surprising, and moving novel." --Sadie Jones, author of The Uninvited Guests "Riveting. . . . Emotionally charged. . . . Fans of WWII-era historical fiction will be drawn to this novel." -- Publishers Weekly